Page 121 - Flaunt 171 - Summer of Our Discontent - St-John

a group of us after the LA Insurrection of 1992, “the slave-mas- ters have been made to think we have been co-opted, and tricked and vilified and tricked into submission. Like we used to say
in school, ‘fool em devil’... not only are Black people fighting back in LA, but Chicanos, Asians and Progressive White People as well. It is the multi-cultural, multi-national American people fighting back and it is the multi-national America that the gov- ernment is most frightened of. Because when they see you there together, it brings fear down into the bottom of their feet.”
Let’s keep them afraid, from their head to the bottom of their feet. In this feature I present the photographers that in some cases risked their own freedom, their well being and their expensive equipment to bring you these photos. In a time when even the documentation of reality can put you against the state, we must continue to flow within it. This is the most important work of our lives.
***
Michael Krim is a photographer and founder of PaperWork NYC and Community Service which collaborates with artists in a multidisciplinary platform to express their vision in both tangible and gallery-curated formats.
“I don’t care if you said some racist shit in the past. That does not concern me. I care about right now. I care about how you are navigating your life for change. We live in a world where wild behavior gets praised, so praise the change that you are see- ing in the streets. 2020 is giving everyone the factory reset option and the chance to be on the wrong or the right side of history. Pick your side and tread with love.”
Jenae Lien is an artist based in L.A. She grew up overseas in Indonesia and Japan, and carries a B.A in Theatre Arts from LMU. Street photography is what inspired her to pursue pho- tography as a career. She helps run These Streets magazine with fellow photographer friends.
“For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been documenting the BLM
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL KRIM
protests in Los Angeles. From police cars on fire and tear gas
to peaceful protests and solidarity. Photography has helped me understand the realities of the world we are living in, and the shifts and changes happening to our humanity. I firmly believe in the importance of documenting our history. Our time on this planet is minuscule in retrospect, so I hope to pass on images that define our time while I’m alive.”
Matthew Nordman is a photographer from El Centro, California, a Loyola Marymount alumni and a former SpaceX en- gineer. Currently he is focused on documentary, commercial, and fine art work. While mostly based out of Los Angeles, Nordman brings his camera wherever he travels.
“On July 5th 2010, my high school friend Edmund “Bubba” Gutierrez was murdered by police and the cops were able to walk away free of charge. I feel a sense of responsibility to fight for
the ones who’ve been taken by the hands of the police. I proudly stand In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. My photos tell stories of police brutality and the pain of the people of color. The time for change Is now and we wont give up until we get justice.”
Mathieu Bitton, Grammy nominee and Leica camera ambassador, possesses a resume of photographic collaborations that reads like an eclectic Who’s Who of music history: Lenny Kravitz, Jack White, Prince, Ben Harper, Sting, Miles Davis, Mar- vin Gaye, Jane’s Addiction, Bob Marley, Quincy Jones, James Brown, George Clinton, Earth Wind & Fire, Iggy Pop, Lou
Reed, Dolly Parton... In addition to shooting music icons, Bitton has photographed an array of entertainment legends including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Sidney Potier and served as offi- cial photographer for comedian Dave Chappelle (most recently working on his latest Netflix special Sticks & Stones). Bitton is also committed to capturing compelling scenes and intimate portraits of everyday lives, and most recently, his most important work: protest photography.
121