Books

"Path to Insurrection" Exhibition Catalog for Flashback Museum, Torino, Italy /  by Chris Suspect

The exhibition catalog for my “Path to Insurrection” exhibit is now hot off the presses. It contains all 115 images from the exhibit in Torino, Italy, at Flashback Habitat museum. The exhibit spans 5 rooms and 3 terraces and is divided into 6 sections, “Election Night,” “Trump’s Inauguration,” “Women’s March,” “Protests from 2017 - 2020,” “Biden Wins,” “January 6,” and “Biden’s Inauguration.”

The forward is written by Jim Bourg, Reuters Photos Editor in Charge of Washington. Bourg served throughout the 2016 election, the Trump administration and the tumultuous 2020 presidential election and its aftermath.

Chris Suspect’s gritty, in your face, in the midst of the action style was a perfect fit as he set out to capture the chaos and conflict on the streets of Washington throughout the 4 years of the Trump administration and at the end of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, with its contentious and at times violent aftermath. Renowned war photographer Robert Capa said back in 1954: “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” This has never been a problem for Chris. His work in PATH TO INSURRECTION consistently takes the reader into the midst of the action. Some of his images harken back to the stark black and white realism of Weegee, the bizarre and sometimes shocking street portraits of Diane Arbus, or the street photography of his classic inspirations Elliot Erwitt, Josef Koudelka and Garry Winogrand. Not considering himself a news photographer or constrained by specific assignments or deadlines, his motivation is consistently to just to make the most compelling, interesting and unique images possible.

The catalog will be available soon by mail order world wide from King Koala Press in Italy.

The exhibit itself is wild! When one enters the hallway to the exhibition rooms, you are greeted with the sound of protest, a police light, and smoke from a fog machine.

It has been featured in all of Italy’s national media and in several international art publications. From TV to radio to print, it has been getting a lot coverage.

The exhibition runs through June 2 and then will travel to another country in Europe in November, TBA!

How Truly Blessed Came to Be /  by Chris Suspect

Produced by King Koala

In this video filmed and edited by Yu Sung Cho for King Koala, I discuss the origins for my new photo book, Truly Blessed, which literally happened by accident! It’s a powerful visual story about a community’s response to discrimination, both racial and religious. And the background story behind the book is pretty amazing.

Published by King Koala Press in Italy, this 128 page volume features 60 striking black and white photographs using the deepest black ink available in the world by one of Italy’s finest book printers.

DCSPC and Chris Suspect presents Jim Saah's In My Eyes and Matt Cabani's Anthem at Slash Run, 11.10.23 /  by Chris Suspect

Fugazi - Photo for the cover of Repeater album on Dischord Records ©Jim Saah

Join the DC Street Photography Collective and Chris Suspect in presenting the work of Jim Saah’s In My Eyes - Photographs 1982-1997 and Matt Cabani’s Anthem at Slash Run in Washington, DC, on Friday, November 10 at 9:00 pm.

Jim Saah’s career in photography started when he documented the punk scene in Washington, DC in the early 1980’s. His photographs have been featured on many books and records, including Our Band Could Be Your Life and the cover of Fugazi’s Repeater album.

Cover for In My Eyes Photographs 1982-1997 by Jim Saah

Jim will be presenting In My Eyes - Photographs 1982-1997, a massive hard cover art book of his early music photography featuring hundreds of never before seen photos of Fugazi, Minor Threat, Void, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Jawbox, Government Issue, The Faith, Iron Cross and more.  

Jim’s work has been featured in the Washington Post and Rolling Stone, and he has been the principle photographer for two feature films, Salad Days: A Decade of Punk In Washington, D.C. and CREEM: America’s Only Rock & Roll Magazine.

Cover for Anthem by Matt Cabani, courtesy of King Koala Press

Jacopo Buranelli from King Koala Press in Milan, Italy, will be presenting Anthem by photographer Matt Cabani and published by King Koala Press. From Milan, Italy, Cabani is the founder of Hellfire Booking Agency. He has shot his way through every corner of the music world over the past three decades. His work can be spotted on album covers, international fanzines, books, music videos, and even hardcore fans’ bedroom walls.

Call for Entries

In celebration of Jim Saah and King Koala’s Anthem by Matt Cabani, we have a call for entries for your best music photography shots. We are looking for anything associated with music, whether it’s the ultimate stage dive image, a candid of audience members, a band setting their drums on fire, or a contemplative portrait of a band or artist. All music forms are welcome.

Please send no more than 5 photos 2000px on the long edge at 72dpi to gratuityincluded1@gmail.com by Midnight EST on November 3rd. Please label your files in this manner. First Name-Last Name_Band/Artist_Name-Date_Shot-Number.jpg.

E.g. Chris-Suspect_Taylor-Swift_021423_1.jpg

About the Event

On Friday, November 10 selected photos will be shown live in front of an audience to a jury of artists and professional photographers. Jury members include Cynthia Connollly (curator, photographer, and one of the authors/publisher of Banned in DC), Lisa Walker (House photographer for Anthem, 9:30 Club and Merriweather Post Pavilion), Jim Saah, and Jacopo Buranelli from King Koala. Each judge will briefly comment on the image and give it a rating from 1-5. The winner, who must be present in person, will receive a copy of In My Eyes - Photographs 1982-1997. Second place will receive Anthem.

Following the photo slam, Jaco from King Koala will give a presentation on Matt Cabani’s Anthem and Jim Saah will discuss In My Eyes - Photographs 1982-1997.

To top off the evening, we will have a special performance from one of DC’s most currently beloved hardcore bands. For now, it’s a secret. The band will be announced the day before the show.

Also, books will be available for purchase from Jim Saah, King Koala Press, Cynthia Connolly, and Chris Suspect.

Schedule

9:00 - 10:00 pm Music Photography Judging

10:10 -10:40 pm Jacopo Buranelli presents Anthem

10:45 - 11:30 pm Jim Saah presents In My Eyes - Photographs 1982-1997

Tickets are $20. All ages. Arrive early as there is limited seating.

Location

Slash Run is located at 201 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011

 

Did you know?

Slash Run has some of the best burgers in DC (including vegan options). It’s true - just ask Washingtonian Magazine. It also has an ample supply of micro brews and top shelf quality booze.

Old Customs on the Leica Camera Blog /  by Chris Suspect

Very excited to have my work featured this week on the Leica Camera Blog. I have been using Leica Cameras since 2012, specifically the M9 and the M-P (Typ 240). I can’t imagine shooting with anything else.

Having grown up for a time in Russia, Suspect was aware of the ideals and ideology prevalent in neighbouring Romania, and was keen to get a sense of their current attitude towards life and what remained of Communism. The format he used for his photography was new for him, combining a mixture of street photography and conceptual art. His Old Customs series, that has been published as a book, presents observations made on the beach of a town that, of itself, has a very special vibe.

Click here to read the full story and interview.

Old Custom's Featured on The Pictorial-List /  by Chris Suspect

Based in Australia, The Pictorial-List magazine just posted a book review/feature on Old Customs. Written by Melanie Meggs, the review goes in-depth about the history behind the book and touches on the different photographic styles presented within.

“Old Customs” is a mix of different approaches that work well together within the context of Chris’s body of work. Reflective and whimsical, this book opens up other possibilities for street photography, taking us on a journey to discover traditions, customs, folk stories and mythology, and revealing the incredible richness of ordinary human life experiences in Vama Veche.

You can read the full article here.