I think what initially drew me to Sonia Louise Davis’ work was the equipment she chose to work with. Shooting film and especially working with large format cameras – invites the individual to work in a more deliberate manner. One spends so much time on a single exposure, and invests so much effort in it that you're compelled to think it through carefully and do it right. This makes for a more peaceful and contemplative kind of photography than smaller formats but also means a much larger time commitment from the photographer. And this also suggests that what is in front of the lens has been carefully considered.
And it’s here, I believe, where the attraction to further investigate the offered narrative/story/history (past, present and future) of each image, begins.
NB : What camera do you use ?
SLD : I use a Linhof Kardon Super Color monorail view camera and just recently got a Wista Technical 45RF field camera. Also, my smartphone.
NB : What is your favourite filmstock?
SLD : Fuji FP100c-45 (RIP)
NB : For the photos submitted, why are they your favourite?
SLD :The first two images are from my series "tracing(s) belonging(s)" made in and about my neighbourhood Harlem, NYC. The third image is from a family portrait workshop during my public project "Across 116th Street." I think these photos say a lot about my aesthetic sensibilities and remind me of the joy of making pictures.
NB :When and why did you decide to shoot with large format?
SLD :I started shooting large format in the summer of 2010 because I had a month's access to equipment through a residency and took a leap of faith.
NB : What are the pros and cons about shooting large format?
SLD : What seemed at first like a "con," has now become a central part of my practice, both practically and conceptually -- slowing down. Obviously it's a different way of working (and much heavier, and way more expensive) but the "pros" are numerous for me. It's allowed me to be a more thoughtful, patient and deliberate artist.
NB : I read that you were born, raised and have remained in the same area in New York, has that influenced your work?
SLD : Yes, I think being from New York City and still living here has informed my work in that my projects tend to be long-term meditations on site (neighbourhood, place) and community (people, histories, memory).
NB : And can you please expand on: "She’s interested in untold stories, public archives, and photographs that think"
SLD : I came to art-making relatively late, having studied literature, history, theory, and cultural studies in college, but I think photography has always been important to me. When I began making images more seriously, my interests in archives, narratives, authorship and working with communities took root and made themselves more visible in the work. "Photographs that think," is how I like to describe images that are striking to me for the questions they ask rather than answer. It's what I hope to achieve in my work.
NB : Sonia’s photographs invite the viewers to be active participants and not passive. Thank you for inviting our curiosity to be piqued.
Sonia Louise Davis