Aperture West Collaborative Series: Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick

Kahn and Selesnick were pretty charming guys, brainy in the British way and seemingly endlessly creative. I’d never heard of them before finding out that there was a lecture by two guys who did “pseudo-historical narratives”, and I was simply intrigued by that phrase. I doubt that I’d ever attempt work like theirs, but I found their unflinchingly creative lives, interdisciplinary approach, and broad curiosity inspiring. It’s helpful to remind myself sometimes that setting a goal to build a decent fine art photography portfolio might be relegating myself to the pedestrian. After only a year studying photography, it feels more and more like the popular genres I thought I’d ultimately gravitate toward (music and street photography) are riddled with cliché. Kahn and Selesnick certainly defy cliché, and I was grateful to learn about their lives and their work.