Where are you from Jeremy, can you tell me a bit about your background. I grew up in Houston, Texas and went to college at SMU in Dallas... I grew most of my life super overweight (250lbs) and closeted... Majorly in denial with who I was. How did it all begin for you? Oddly enough, my work all really happened as a mistake. I was working with a large nightclub in Washington, DC when I hit on a guy in Philadelphia (circa 2000/2001). He ended up becoming one of my best friends at the time and I began staying with he and his boyfriend in NYC at least once a month or more (for nearly 2.5 years). His boyfriend was coatchecking and bartending at relatively sleazy gay bars in the East Village and when I went for the first time, I was massively uncomfortable. Pedro (the boyfriend) had a Polaroid camera on the wall of their apartment and I took it with me to the club as a sort of defense mechanism (I think...) I realized that I enjoyed making photographs and they were actually kinda sorta good. I kept it up and the rest is history. Was it something you always pursued or did it happen organically, what gave you the idea? See above... totally organically and honest... I feel like my entire artistic development and career has been super organic. What was your first gig? My first print editorial of sorts was for Kelly Bensimon’s debut issue of Elle Accessories. I did a “party page” of sorts. How was it to see your first work in print? It was awesome. I honestly don’t remember what it felt like, but I do remember that I was super excited about shooting it and then having it come out. How would you describe your style? Every artist has their own voice... I’d like to think that mine tends to be steeped in honesty and visceral tension. It totally varies based on which body of work we’re discussing... dragqueens or guys or celebrities... Similar ideas are being addressed in different ways (facade, transformation, identity, deconstruction) Tell me more about your working method? Are you selective with your subjects or parties? I don’t really shoot in social context anymore, but I am absolutely selective with my subjects. As it relates to the nightlife characters, they tend to be “outsiders even within an outside culture”. I think of them as metaphors for this idea of transformation (whether for the night or permanent). As for the guys, I’ve never really thought about shooting guys based on how big of a name they are/were. If I found them sexy and right for my work, I’m into it. They all tend to be that “U.S. boy next door” sort of guy though... Tell me more about your series of photos of boys? Well, I’m super excited to say that my first monograph of my work with guys will be coming out this Fall with Damiani! It’s tentatively called “OH! U Pretty Things” (after the David Bowie song). I hope that nearly 98% of the work in the book will have never been seen before As a whole though, the work is about my own former body issues manifested through the relative perfection of my subject. They exist as a reference to the guys I longed after (deeply buried) when I was growing up in Texas and also the previously mentioned notion of physical identity. Has your opinion of the industry changed much in the time you’ve been working in it? Ha, totally. I think I’ve lost the patience for bullshit. As it pertains to fashion, I find most fashion to be another form of “drag” anyway. I’ve always looked at myself as an artist who’s work happens to be applied in a fashion context. I really try hard to not change how I work just because it’s for an editorial or whatever else it might be. In previous recessions, fashion and style were acting out with nothing to lose attitude, the work became really bold and expressive. What do you think of the dynamic of the current times, do you think fashion has become more commercial of point of sale, then breaking new territory? I still think that fashion has to be an expression of self. Personally, I’m forever in vintage tshirts and jeans/shorts. I’ve been that way for quite some time and don’t know that it’s going to change any time soon! I’m also sooooo not one to give an expert opinion on fashion to be perfectly honest. Has the economic crisis in America affected the way you work? Not at all... the discontinuation of Polaroid has! What’s next? Any exciting prospects or projects you would like to mention? See above for the book.... I open a show next week (3/14) in Geneva of new silkscreen paintings from my celebrity photographs. Are there any mediums you would still like to explore? I’m definitely pushing my silkscreen practice and continuing my work in video this year... Who are some of your icons or who you find inspirational and why? Warhol, Basquiat, Bruce Nauman, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger... no need to say why... it should be obvious. Text by Akmal Shaukat
Where are you from Jeremy, can you tell me a bit about your background. I grew up in Houston, Texas and went to college at SMU in Dallas... I grew most of my life super overweight (250lbs) and closeted... Majorly in denial with who I was. How did it all begin for you? Oddly enough, my work all really happened as a mistake. I was working with a large nightclub in Washington, DC when I hit on a guy in Philadelphia (circa 2000/2001). He ended up becoming one of my best friends at the time and I began staying with he and his boyfriend in NYC at least once a month or more (for nearly 2.5 years). His boyfriend was coatchecking and bartending at relatively sleazy gay bars in the East Village and when I went for the first time, I was massively uncomfortable. Pedro (the boyfriend) had a Polaroid camera on the wall of their apartment and I took it with me to the club as a sort of defense mechanism (I think...) I realized that I enjoyed making photographs and they were actually kinda sorta good. I kept it up and the rest is history. Was it something you always pursued or did it happen organically, what gave you the idea? See above... totally organically and honest... I feel like my entire artistic development and career has been super organic. What was your first gig? My first print editorial of sorts was for Kelly Bensimon’s debut issue of Elle Accessories. I did a “party page” of sorts. How was it to see your first work in print? It was awesome. I honestly don’t remember what it felt like, but I do remember that I was super excited about shooting it and then having it come out. How would you describe your style? Every artist has their own voice... I’d like to think that mine tends to be steeped in honesty and visceral tension. It totally varies based on which body of work we’re discussing... dragqueens or guys or celebrities... Similar ideas are being addressed in different ways (facade, transformation, identity, deconstruction) Tell me more about your working method? Are you selective with your subjects or parties? I don’t really shoot in social context anymore, but I am absolutely selective with my subjects. As it relates to the nightlife characters, they tend to be “outsiders even within an outside culture”. I think of them as metaphors for this idea of transformation (whether for the night or permanent). As for the guys, I’ve never really thought about shooting guys based on how big of a name they are/were. If I found them sexy and right for my work, I’m into it. They all tend to be that “U.S. boy next door” sort of guy though... Tell me more about your series of photos of boys? Well, I’m super excited to say that my first monograph of my work with guys will be coming out this Fall with Damiani! It’s tentatively called “OH! U Pretty Things” (after the David Bowie song). I hope that nearly 98% of the work in the book will have never been seen before As a whole though, the work is about my own former body issues manifested through the relative perfection of my subject. They exist as a reference to the guys I longed after (deeply buried) when I was growing up in Texas and also the previously mentioned notion of physical identity. Has your opinion of the industry changed much in the time you’ve been working in it? Ha, totally. I think I’ve lost the patience for bullshit. As it pertains to fashion, I find most fashion to be another form of “drag” anyway. I’ve always looked at myself as an artist who’s work happens to be applied in a fashion context. I really try hard to not change how I work just because it’s for an editorial or whatever else it might be. In previous recessions, fashion and style were acting out with nothing to lose attitude, the work became really bold and expressive. What do you think of the dynamic of the current times, do you think fashion has become more commercial of point of sale, then breaking new territory? I still think that fashion has to be an expression of self. Personally, I’m forever in vintage tshirts and jeans/shorts. I’ve been that way for quite some time and don’t know that it’s going to change any time soon! I’m also sooooo not one to give an expert opinion on fashion to be perfectly honest. Has the economic crisis in America affected the way you work? Not at all... the discontinuation of Polaroid has! What’s next? Any exciting prospects or projects you would like to mention? See above for the book.... I open a show next week (3/14) in Geneva of new silkscreen paintings from my celebrity photographs. Are there any mediums you would still like to explore? I’m definitely pushing my silkscreen practice and continuing my work in video this year... Who are some of your icons or who you find inspirational and why? Warhol, Basquiat, Bruce Nauman, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger... no need to say why... it should be obvious. Text by Akmal Shaukat
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