The Photo Vault: A journey into Vernacular Photography, Archives and Photobooks – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, you will follow Lukas as he explores the photobook world at Les Rencontres de la Photographie d'Arles, a fantastic photo festival in the south of France that has been running since 1970. Lukas talks to publishers, artists, fair organizers, and bookshop owners about the festival, the book market, and how the photobook has evolved in a festival environment like Arles. We delve into the thoughts of publishers based in Europe, authors who come all the way from Mexico, and some of the pioneers who started facilitating photobook platforms 20 years ago in festivals such as the one in Arles.

Enjoy this episode with the voices of Salambo Goudal (France Photo Book), Grzegorz Kosmala (Blow Up Press), Matej Sitar (The Angry Bat), Abed Abidat ( Images Plurielles), Benoit Capoddi (Halogenure), Cesar Rodriguez, Zhen Zhi ( La maison Z), Pedro Guimarães  (XYZ Books), Frederic Lezmi (The Photobook Museum),  Thomas Gust (Buchkunst Berlin), Vincent Van Baar (Royal Academy of Art The Hague), Kalin Kruse (Die Nacht) and Delphine Manjard  (Palais du Palais).

Publishers/Bookshops/Books mentioned in the Podcast in order of appearance

• Les Rencontres de la photographie d'Arles   
• France Photobook 
• Blow Up Press  
• The Angry Bat Publishing   
• Images Plurielles  
• Halogenure  
• Benoit Capponi  
• César Rodríguez   
• KWY Editions    
• La Maison Z - 
• The Photobook Museum  
• XYZ LISBON     
• Buchkunst Berlin -  
• Vincent van Baar  
• Royal Academy of Art The Hague  
• Die Nacht Publishing  
• Librairie du Palais   

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In this episode of The Photo Vault, we receive book recommendations from the Istanbul-based artist Cemre Yeşil Gönenli. Her book choices are varied and full of emotional connections to her own journey of becoming a photo artist. Listen to her colourful stories of how books can inspire and change your perspectives. Listen also to a previous episode where we talk with Cemre in detail about her practice and what it’s like to work as an artist in today's Turkey.

References:

• The Chain Chien-Chi Chang
• Sophie Calle take care of your self
• Alec Soth Niagara Steidl /  Mack 2nd Edition
• Elliott Ewitt - Le petit monde 

Cemre’s Books:

• Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment  - 
• Double Portrait
• For Birds sake  

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• Emmanuel Carrère
• Ariella Azoulay - the civil contract of photography / potential history: unlearning imperialism 
• Natasha Christia & Lukas Birk, Gülistan

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In this episode, we are meeting with Cemre Yeşil Gönenli, an Istanbul-born and -based artist, photographer, and educator. She gives us insight into her quest for finding the invisible through photography, by looking at what cannot be seen in images. Cemre also talks about the current difficult situation for artists in Turkey and why inflation makes it so challenging to run a photo bookshop. She opened FILbooks a few years ago, a photobook cafe in the heart of the city. 

One of her recent books, "Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment," deals with photographs commissioned by Abdul Hamid II, the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Find out in the conversation how she uses these archival materials to discuss the current political situation.

Cemre also talks about becoming a mother while trying to maintain a rock 'n' roll lifestyle and why it is important to collaborate in this lonely field of photography.



Find out more:

Cemre’s website / Her Book shop 

Books: Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment   / For Birds sake  

News report

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• Chantal Rens - YOU RUN AROUND TOWN LIKE A FOOL AND YOU THINK THAT IT'S GROOVY, published by PANTOFLE BOOKS, 2916
• Christian Boltanksi,  KADISH. Paris: Musée d'Art Modern; München: Gina Kehayoff Verlag, 1998
• Sha kokken The love in sex life, Published by Ikeda, 1968

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In this episode, we have the great pleasure to meet with Professor Geoffrey Batchen, an expert in the history of photography. He has taught in his native Australia, the United States, and currently holds a position at Oxford in the UK as a professor of the history of art. He has curated exhibitions in renowned institutions such as the ICP in New York, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Izu Photo Museum in Shizuoka, Japan.

Geoffrey is one of the popularisers of the term Vernacular Photography through his extensive writing and involvement in the field. We recorded this conversation during a conference on Vernacular Photography organised by the Eidolon Centre in Budapest.

Geoffrey talks about how to look at images, emphasising that there is no such thing as banal, and delves into the significance of smiles in photographs. He also touches on the question of where Vernacular fits in our historical narrative and discusses the dangers of assigning financial value to everyday images.

Read more about Geoffrey Batchen's work.

Geoffrey Batchen: Forget Me Not: Photography & Remembrance

Negative/Positive A History of Photography book

Apparitions: Photography and Dissemination book

Vernacular photographies essay

Further links:

Eidolon Center Budapest

Fortpan Archive Budapest

Malick Sidibé

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Nous publions, donc nous existons ! Voici le premier épisode de The Photo Vault. Découvrez la proposition éditoriale de ce podcast, ainsi que la façon de vous engager auprès du Vernacular Social Club, votre plateforme dédiée à la photographie vernaculaire, aux archives photographiques, aux collections et aux livres de photos. 

Dans cette introduction, vous entendrez les voix du collectionneur, éditeur et artiste Jean-Marie Donat, ainsi que son point de vue sur le Vernaculaire. Lucy Sante, autrice, écrivaine et professeure, partagera également sa définition de la photographie vernaculaire.

 Nous discutons également de REVU, le tout nouveau magazine publié par le Vernacular Social Club.

Référence:

Interview avec Aldous Huxley
Review of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
1939 New York World fair newsreel
Golden Gate Bridge Opening

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We publish; therefore, we exist! This is our first episode of The Photo Vault. Find out what to expect from this podcast in the future, as well as how to engage with the Vernacular Social Club, your platform for Vernacular Photography, Archives, Collecting, and Photo-books. In this introduction, you will hear the voices of collector, editor, and artist Jean-Marie Donat, along with his views on the Vernacular. Also, author, writer, and professor Lucy Sante will share her definition of Vernacular photography.

We also discuss REVU, the brand-new magazine that the Vernacular Social Club is releasing, with its first edition titled 'Brave New World' after Aldous Huxley's book of the same title

Enjoy!


References:
Interview with Aldous Huxley
Review of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
1939 New York World fair newsreel
Golden Gate Bridge Opening

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In this Episode of The Photo Vault we are going to explore a very peculiar Vernacular Photo Festival in Italy. 

Gu.Pho. Our host Lukas went South to work on an exhibition of the Vernacular Social Club as well as an installation for his new book “A tiny visual history of the Moustache”.  Gu.Pho festival, in the wonderful town of Guigla, about 40 minutes south of Bologna, in a magnificently run-down castle, was full of surprises and insights. Listen in this Episode what the festival is all about, who started it and how. It might inspire you. 

References:

Gu.Pho

Gu.Pho Instagram

Max Fisher introduction 

The creation - making time 

PetriPaselli Artist Duo

Sugar Paper Space Modena

Gu.Pho Visual on the Vernacular Social Club Website

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In this episode of The Photo Vault, we discuss with Dutch artist and editor Erik Kessels why it is important to have an opinion and dislike things, as well as why it is most important that young artists get paid. Erik is a prolific book and exhibition maker, known for his narrative creation through appropriated images.

Take a look as well at Erik’s website and publishing page to gain a deeper understanding of his work and thought process."

Enjoy the conversation:

• Erik Kessels Website
• Instagram 
• Kessel Kramer Publishing

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