Portrait of Lou Jones
Recently we asked Jones about how his journey started with the Griffin and we wanted to get to know a bit more about what his latest inspirations are. Here is what we learned.
Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role.
tuta bridge by Lou Jones
I think I visited the Griffin Museum once when Arthur Griffin was still alive. I wanted to meet him having seen his byline on so many photographs during my early career. Subsequently I was recruited by the previous executive director to join the board of directors.
How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?
I make my living taking pictures. I have maintained a studio in Boston for many years. A very long-time colleague sent me a photograph of myself taking pictures in the 1980s & it rattled me.
What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?
Pan Africa Project © Lou Jones
I have been traveling to Africa continuously for the last several years & found it draws me back because of its almost infinite variety in things that are completely alien to me & my world here. The continent provides almost continuous new opportunities & completely new narratives that cannot be imagined from our western imaginations. It is a cornucopia.
See Lou Jones’ body of work from Africa on his website www.panAFRICAproject.org.
What is one book, song, or other visual obsession you have at the moment?
Since the pandemic started I have been working on photographing how people have been dealing with the new paradigm, how it affects their lives positively or negatively, how they have adapted to the new complexities, imaginative ways to continue & what our environment “looks” like with all the restrictions.
Mirror COVID by Lou Jones
Lifeguards COVID by Lou Jones
What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?
The fact that the whole world can come to a voluntary standstill. I am mystified by what segments can/cannot operate inside the pandemic.
If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?
James Baldwin
Maybe James Baldwin. He was so ahead of his time in being creative, gay & an African American. He was the darling of the “intelligentia” until he became strident about race relations. His analysis is becoming more & more pertinent & relevant today & he was ignored towards the end of his life.
I would like to talk about being an artist being so ahead of the debate & how do you maintain your resolve under such pressure. I chased him down the street in Paris once but never caught up with him.
