FLATSstudio will be hosting The Synagogue, a grand opening of 5029 N Kenmore and a debut of photography by Ben Greene, documenting the adaptive reuse of the building. RSVP for the upcoming event with events@flatslife.com.
Tell us a little about yourself:
I love old buildings and old cameras. They’re both extremely specific and intricate things that tend to have a distinct personality to them. I’ve always enjoyed architectural photography, which was the main thing that (circuitously) led me to now work in construction management. I see a lot of beauty in the dirtier parts of the built environment.
What kinds of art do you create?
I’m an analogue photographer and printmaker. I really enjoy the tactility of films and paper, which is something I sort of celebrate in a lot of my images. My work ranges from cut and dried documentarian stuff, to more abstract pieces focusing on building materials, texture, and the structure of different built spaces, both literal and symbolic. I enjoy slow, process-oriented work. I mostly shoot medium format and make most of my prints in the darkroom. Although I also do a lot of digital back-end work and often inkjet-print as well (as is well represented in this set of prints).
How did you get started?
I can’t remember ever not being fascinated with cameras. As a bored high schooler, I started shooting the old industrial buildings that dotted my small town and never really stopped. Moving to Chicago after college was a big turning point for me as a photographer. There is a fantastic arts and photo community here, that has been a major source of support, motivation, inspiration, and lots of equipment. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the city’s DIY arts spaces. Places like the Chicago Community Darkroom, Latitude Labs, and the industrious people who populate them, have done a lot to spur me forward as an artist.
Describe your artistic style:
In all honesty, I wouldn’t, typically. At least not in an over-arching way. I draw a lot from photographers like Hilla & Bernd Becher, Michael Kenna, & of course Richard Nickel (the Synagogue series is kind of my tribute to Nickel), but I wouldn’t say I have one consistent or uniform style of my own.
