Witness originally started as an open call. I try my best to remove my own expectations when starting a project and let things evolve based on what presents itself. A free open call is a great way to exercise a certain level of freedom from my own desire. The artists in Witness display levels of vulnerability, intimacy, and unconditional curiosity that is exciting when I saw them start forming together. It’s also my job to not solely rely on just what’s submitted. After all, what can anyone tell from just ten pictures, it’s a good start, but there’s a lot of passivity in just relying solely on the limitations of a submitted portfolio. A huge part of my job is research. It’s important for me to understand these artists, these people, their stories, and what’s inside their work. I spend a lot of time on websites and social media, getting my eyes on as much as I can so I can better understand what potential might be exposed by the thing I’m trying to make by bringing my ideas, their ideas, and our work together.
I wish to sew together those potentials in such a way that what conspires visually begins to feel narrative and cinematic. In Witness, we each start finishing each other’s sentences in different ways.