Erik Kessels Discusses Vernacular Photography in artpress Interview

Erik Kessels explores vernacular photography's provocative potential in an interview with Safia Belmenouar for artpress issue 463, published in February 2019. The conversation examines how everyday, amateur images challenge traditional photographic norms and artistic hierarchies. Kessels, known for his work with found photography, discusses the cultural significance of mass-produced visual materials. The interview appears in the French art magazine artpress, spanning pages 30 through 37. Belmenouar conducts the discussion, focusing on Kessels' approach to collecting and recontextualizing ordinary photographs. The piece highlights how vernacular imagery serves as both artistic material and social commentary. Kessels' practice involves assembling photographic ephemera that reflects contemporary visual culture. The interview provides insight into his methodology of transforming casual snapshots into meaningful artistic statements.