Photographer Matt Black Visits Exeter
Award winning photojournalist Matt Black discussed his work on national poverty at a lunch in the Lamont Gallery last Wednesday. With a travel grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Black began mapping poverty across what he calls “forgotten America,” the areas of the country struggling with intense poverty. In addition, Black was named Instagram Photographer of the Year by Time in 2014.
Black explained to lunch attendees the inspiration of Geography of Poverty—black-and-white photographs of children, trash, birds, buildings and landscapes aim to remind the viewer of the crippling poverty much of America faces—was a project that took him back to his California roots. In the Central Valley, poverty rates are often higher than 20 percent, the threshold featured in the project. Black, hooked by Instagram’s geotagging feature, aimed to create a map of poverty in the United States, featuring more than 100 towns that not only met his poverty rate requirements, but were also no more than a two hour drive from each other. “There’s a clear need [for a project like ‘Geography of Poverty’],” Black said. “That kind of reporting is about shedding light on things and increasing understanding.”
“A good photo isn’t dependent on a headline or a caption. I’m trying to maximize the language of photography.”
Communities documented by the project ranged from California cities to Michigan bus stops. After his first trip, Black decided to immerse himself even further by traveling completely by Greyhound bus, rather than taking his car between destinations. Black emphasized his surprise at the abundance of poverty-stricken towns in every part of the country and what short distances he had to go to find them. He completed a trip around the the United States without ever leaving the realm of intense poverty.
Black aims to be a traditionalist; a self taught photographer who seeks to document, not disrupt. He shoots with an inconspicuous camera. Additionally, Black does not stage his photos. He believes in using photography to highlight what is already there, not to push an agenda through planned art.
According to Black, taking premeditated photos is the difference between photojournalism and photographic activism. “I never stage a photo … I see a little glimmer and then I’ll take the picture. [Photography] is looking for the glimmers,” he said.
Upper Rachel Luo, an avid photographer, said that Black’s inconspicuous style resonated with her strongly. “With a smaller camera, you can blend in and get more expressive shots, shots that will really show the true nature of what you’re capturing,” she said, “There’s something so honest and simple about that, and I think that really goes along with his photography.”
Black also focuses on creating images that can convey his message without supplement. “A good photo isn’t dependent on a headline or a caption,” he explained. “I’m trying to maximize the language of photography.”
“Geography of Poverty” is no exception. Black’s photographs are accompanied by just a few words. Each caption states the location where the photo was taken, the population of that city or town and the percentage of the population living below the poverty line. Beyond that, all interpretation is left up to the viewer. Art instructor Steven Lewis commended Black for spreading an important message while still creating “visually engaging and expressive” pieces. “His dark, moody, black and white tones draw the viewer in to look more closely and linger on his point of view,” he said. “In his compositions there is a juxtaposition of elements that is entirely authentic and sophisticated.”
“Geography of Poverty” can be found on Instagram @mattblack_blackmatt and other social media platforms as well as on Black’s website. His other projects, Kingdom of Dust and People of Clouds, are available alongside “Geography of Poverty” on his website, www.mattblack.com.