Antoni Moxham
Profile
Despite photographing bands and musicians for a wide range of publications, musicians and record labels, Antoni Moxham has no interest in 'documenting' musical scenes or the lives of the people he shoots. Moreover, he doesn't believe in the concept of a 'definitive shot' - a picture that encapsulates the spirit of a musician. Instead, each of his shots is intended to be a singular work about the way he himself views the world. Whether shot on or off-stage, his musicians usually take a back seat to composition. In fact, many of Moxham's images feature only isolated body parts and instruments - hands, hair, bass and drums. Writer Jenney Mayfield recently commented on a Moxham photograph, "The image really has nothing to do with the band. He's merely interested in the fact that both guitarists are cradling their instruments in the exact same way."Believing that too many photographers try to make their subjects unnaturally 'heroic', Moxham has recently focused on catching musicians in poses and situations that are unconventional and often unflattering.
Artist Statement
"Of course, I'm not going to a show just to photograph it. The music or the musician has to speak to me personally. I then react to the music with my photography. It has nothing to do with a 'collaboration' or 'catching' the feeling of a show. I'm not saying the music doesn't affect me when I photograph - I'm there because it inspires and awes me. However, If someone tells you that music can be captured on film, they are full of shit. Music is music and pictures are pictures. If pictures make you want to listen to music - well good."Works
The following bands and musicians are all featured in Moxham's most recent book, Sound Makers, which focuses on rock music of the early 2000s.↓ click on artist for photos
Adam Forkner (White Rainbow, Yume Bitsu) / Andy / Animal Collective / Archer Prewitt (Coctails) / Aruga / Battles / Bill Callahan (Smog) / Bill Wells / Bloodthirsty Butchers / Brothers Blau / Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Halo Benders) / Coctails / Coldplay / Dame Darcy / Dan Littleton (Ida, Licorice) / Daniel Johnston / David Grubbs (Gastr Del Sol) / Deerhoof / Douglas McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback) / The Eternals / Fennesz / The Folk Implosion / Franz Pritchard (Yume Bitsu) / Fukuda Norio (Map, Sweet Dreams) / Genevieve Castree (Woelv) / George Hurley (Minutemen, The Red Crayola) / Gudrun Gut / Hauschka / Her Space Holiday / Hihi (California Car Crash) / Howe Gelb (Giant Sand) / Ida / Iron and Wine / Jad Fair (Half Japanese) / Jason Funk (Helll, Irving Klaw Trio, Hochenkeit) / Jeff Fucillo (Helll, Irving Klaw Trio, Hochenkeit) / Jens Lekman / Jim O'Rourke (Gastr Del Sol, The Red Crayola, Sonic Youth) / Joan Of Arc / Joanna Newsom / Jon (the dog) / John McEntire (Tortoise, The Red Crayola) / Jonathan Richman (Modern Lovers) / Jude Bowerman / Julie Doiron (Eric's Trip) / Kev Hopper / Kim Hiorthoy / Kyle Field (Little Wings) / The Lonesome Organist / Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Junior, Folk Implosion, Sebadoh) / Lumber Bob / M Ward / Magic Magicians / Manual / Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) / Mark Robinson (Unrest, Air Miami, Flim Flon) / Mayo Thompson (The Red Crayola) / Mercedeath / Mirah / Modest Mouse / Momus / Moools / Nikkaido Kazumi / Nikki McClure / Noel Hawley / Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie, Microphones) / The Red Crayola / Ryan Sweeney / Saya Source / The Sea And Cake / Sufjan Stevens / Tara Jane O'Neil / Teachers - Mago / Tennis Coats / The Can't See / Tim Kinsella (Joan Of Arc, Make Believe) / Toddle / Tom Watson (Country and Watson, The Red Crayola) / Tortoise / Versus - Plus/Minus / Wallpaper / Warn Defevre (His Name Is Alive) / The Wedding Present / White Rainbow / Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) / Yo La Tengo / Yume Bitsu /
What people are saying about Antoni Moxham's Sound Makers
"Moxham is a kind of 'photo-situationist', he uses the stage as a studio, waiting for interesting situations and compositions to develop. Stage-lighting and a dark background almost always ensure that vague gestures, awkward movements, and moments of unbridled passion will be captured." - Edward Burgin New York Guardian"Sound Makers includes images of independent rock and roll's most influential and idiosyncratic musicians from the past 15 years. As always, Moxham pays much attention to the body language of each subject. Though the poses and settings are more diverse than in his jazz work, the pictures share the same black backgrounds and poetic minimalism... His musicians don't have to be rocking out to show that they are having fun - sometimes just an outstretched arm or hastily scribbled set list are enough." - Timothy Shimabuku Tokyo Enlish Times
"A guitarist gulping. A post concert hug outside of a family restaurant. A drummer laughing at a vocalist who forgets what song they are about to play. Pre-show calisthenics. These photographs differ greatly from the images of musicians that one will likely find in glossy magazines. These are not poses or image-defining moments - these are real people who decided not to keep their eccentricities in check." - Janet Carson The Non-believer
