Brian Henry is a self-taught experimental photographer and explorer. While Henry had won a few scholarships to attend college, he chose to apply his money to his own unscripted, artistic journey. He has traveled up and down the East Coast of the U.S., as well as Europe and the Balkans. He has exhibited works for the following organizations: Steven Amedee Gallery, Area 405, Pulp Gallery, Goucher College, Streit House Space, Gallery 1 of 1, Le Bocal, and Carlheim Mansion. We’re excited to speak to Brian on his photographic works, which are both sensual and unnerving to bear witness to.
GINA JELINSKI: Can you reveal to us the elements of intimacy and abandonment that is represented through your work?
BRIAN HENRY: Through my photography, I often try my best to connect with a location with my physical presence combined with emotions enhanced by analog means. I find analog photography to be intimate on it's own. Light on film, processed and printed by my hands. Occasionally stories play in my mind of what it was like to once exist there and what happened. I find beauty in contrasting skin among decayed walls, and mold. Nature is taking back what is hers and I'm grateful to create memories of this process.
GJ: Which of your shoots do you hold most sacred, and why?
BH: Each location can touch me in a different way. I'd hate to say that one is more sacred than others. I will say that one of the places I worked hardest to photograph was at a state hospital in Massachusetts. It involved driving 7 hours there and getting over a 10 foot anti-climb fence before sunrise. I was able to shoot beloved Polaroid Time-Zero film there before the hospital was completely demolished a couple of months later.
GJ: Tell us about the influences you had as a child.
BH: I can't recall having any specific people that influenced me, but I feel that I was born with a natural curiosity of things that was often sparked by characters and situations from Television. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, X-Files, as well as horror films. I feel like there were many fictional stories that influenced me into seeking out abandoned places as a kid. So much grew from there. Only over the past few years have I really attempted to explore the work of historic photographers.
GJ: What rituals/routines you practice?
BH: I have long mornings which I prefer to spend with my dog and cats. I also have off on Tuesdays, which has naturally become a day for me to work on photography.
GJ: What is your greatest fear? And, do you have any phobias?
BH: I fear getting a terminal illness or any health-related issue that would make me have to seek constant medical attention. I have a phobia of my own blood...although it depends where I bleed from. It's really strange.
GJ: Who do you want as president, and why so?
BH: A true progressive black trans woman because I'm tired of old, conservative white men. We need a leader that has lived a life of oppression and injustice to understand and help fight against what rots this nation.
GJ: Would you like to elaborate on queerness?
BH: Whenever I dwell on queerness, I think of the origin of the word. To be labeled as peculiar because of a lack of heterosexuality or being cisgender. I'm hoping that one day, the label of "queer" no longer exists. We get there when everyone accepts that we do not need to be considered odd or peculiar anymore. Until then, we should embody our queerness in pride. There should be no reason to oppress ourselves.
GJ: Tell us more about your work, Brian.
BH: It is an ongoing journal documenting architectural decay, fears, freedom and mortality. I attempt to portray the beauty I see in forlorn locations and use myself and medium as a means to connect to them. Although many photographs are made, a large part of my work is the adventure of exploring new territory and experiencing the unknown. My self portraits have been therapeutic in that it's pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and explore different levels of fear and anxiety.
From a technical standpoint, I primarily use analog processes. When I shoot Polaroid film, I consider it a unique souvenir of my experience. There's something meaningful in creating something tangible within a space that will soon be destroyed, or with someone that will eventually be gone. Darkroom work allows me to bend reality and add additional effects of distress and decay to compliment the subject. In some instances, I have used photographic paper and film found in abandoned buildings. Other times, I have buried my images in decaying buildings for the effects. These techniques are all used in my attempts to connect to a space, and create irreplaceable mementos of time.
GJ: What books, whether fiction or nonfiction, do you often find yourself revisiting?
BH: There are several photo-books that I often go back to. I love to see the works of Arthur Tress, Francesca Woodman, Deborah Turbeville, Edmund Teske, Jerry Uelsmann, Man Ray...
GJ: Fantasy and obsession. These are two realms which develop further our socio-emotive senses - how do these affect your life philosophy?
BH: I find that I've had a continued nature of curiosity that is deeply a part of who I am. If there's something that piques my interest, it's easy for me to obsess in figuring out the answers. When there are no answers, I can fall back on fantasy.
Brian Henry currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland. To inquire about Brian’s work and view his portfolio visit Decayed Emulsion. You can also visit his featured works on our contributor’s page.