Dennis Kimbugwe

Reflections on Photography and Society; The Making of an Artist.

Dennis Kimbugwe | Saturday, December 4th, 2021

The debate about whether or not photography is an art form is as old as the medium itself, and how it occurs depends on the immediate concerns of the enquirers. Admittedly, it feels almost impossible for me to form an unbiased opinion about the topic, but for the benefit of this essay, I am going to do my best to steer clear of this part of the discussion.

My introduction to the practice of photography was anything but glamorous, it started with selfies, then slowly progressed into nature photographs and eventually in 2016 I had my formal entry into professional photography with wildlife and nature stock photography. Looking back, I remember feeling like that was all photography was ever going to be for me, and while I still have the utmost respect for my beginnings, I now know that there was a different journey for me, just like there will be many others down the line if I am lucky. The first time I saw people with whom I had a lot in common that worked with photography the way I hoped to at the time was in 2018 when my work was included in a group exhibition for the Uganda Press Photo Award winners. My relationship and approach to photography were forever changed by this experience and I have since been working to acquire more knowledge and develop a better understanding of the art of photography in order to elevate my practice.

It is because of this knowledge of my own experience that I must agree with the idea that some photographers have to become artists in order for them to be acknowledged. This title, name, state of being or way of life comes with certain privileges, most of which are necessary to navigate the art-world and life in general. However, this process of becoming an artist can’t exactly be forced or wished into existence, and sometimes talent, working hard, going to school or loving art is not enough to make it happen. I don’t believe that there is a “one size fits all” tip to becoming an artist, but a combination of things that may or may not be in our control. For my chosen approach, one of the most affirming experiences came in the form of a conversation for Tate Talks, titled “What Makes an Artist? Grayson Perry inConversation with Sarah Thornton | Tate Talks.”3 A lot of important statements were made during this conversation but three were particularly interesting to me. As part of her explanation for the role of an artist, Sarah Thornton said "Art no longer seems to be about timelessness but about timeliness…"4 She went on to say to artists “…keep moving and make your timely work, and then your old work will have vintage value…"5 Later on in the discussion, Grayson Perry concluded his response to what his advice for young artists is by saying "... but the best artists can take quite a while to find their voice, an art career, after all, is a marathon, not a sprint."6

These statements helped me put things into perspective regarding my own practice but even with this reassurance, I still often wonder at which point a photographer becomes an artist, what about their work qualifies them to be considered an artist, is it about their process or their products and perhaps equally as important, if the two titles of“photographer” and “artist” can exist simultaneously and be true at the same time. The importance of these questions and their possible answers changes depending on a lot of factors in my life but as I continue to explore and experiment with the medium, I am learning that working consistently with intention is the easiest way to become an artist.

I believe that if one identifies their interests, develops a process to effectively and efficiently communicate their ideas about these interests, their contributions will garner the right attention. I also believe that working with the right subject at the right time may lead one to be considered an artist and/or their products artworks, for instance the photographs that Robert Mapplethorpe made of Patti Smith before their fame have more value and have become art partially because they hold a version of her that the world will never have access to. The same can be said about Roxanne Lowit’s Studio 54 photographs, because they are a specific record of a place, people and activities that seem so far removed from our world.

In conclusion, while I do not presently consider myself an artist, I know that I have always had artistic ambitions and inclinations regardless of the medium I experimented with at the time and this remains true even to this day. I firmly believe that if I continue to work consistently with intention, I will realize my full artistic potential with or without the world’s approval.

REFERENCES:

1.     Figure 1: Portrait of Sara Marzo Corachan by Dennis Kimbugwe, Sara Marzo Corachan, 2021.
2.     Figure 2: Portrait of Alex by Dennis Kimbugwe, Alex burning his lip, 2021.
3.     What Makes an Artist? Grayson Perry in Conversation with Sarah Thornton | Tate Talks. | Tate | Oct 30, 2014.
4.     Quote from “What Makes an Artist? Grayson Perry in Conversation with Sarah Thornton | Tate Talks.”  Sarah Thornton 00:29:50 – 00:29:54.
5.     Quote from “What Makes an Artist? Grayson Perry in Conversation with Sarah Thornton | Tate Talks.”  Sarah Thornton 00:30:24 – 00:30:30.
6.     Quote from “What Makes an Artist? Grayson Perry in Conversation with Sarah Thornton | Tate Talks.”  Grayson Perry 00:50:37 – 00:50:45.
7.     Roxanne Lowit: Magic Moments (2016) Directed by Yvonne Sciò.
8.     Czech Photography in the 20th Century by Vladimír Birgus and Jan Mlčoch, Chapter 17 “Photography at theBeginning of a New Era”