The Myth of The Photographer as Neutral Recorder & Other Stories

Max Pinckers uses improvisation to create images that are lively, unexpected, and simultaneously poetic belying the extensive preparation and rigour he brings to his craft. His approach to documentary photography emphasises the subjectivity of the artist. From tales of the serendipitous to the theatricality of the everyday encounters on the street, his talk will explore the stories that lie within photographs, and behind their making.

Pinckers’ work is strongly grounded in the local context: The Fourth Wall (2012) focuses on life in Mumbai and the Hindi film industry; Will They Sing Like Raindrops or Leave Me Thirsty (2014) explores romance in India in the 21st century, documenting the paradoxes across popular perceptions, expectations and representations of love in the country. In the latter, Pinckers also turns his lens upon The Love Commandos, an outfit that helps runaway couples deal with the more practical details of love such as marriage registration and refuge from violent retribution for their perceived transgression.

In this talk Pinckers reflected on his artistic practice and processes, examining the ways in which we choose to represent the world and construct the real.