Bil Brown: From Avant-Garde Poetry, Fashion Photography, Black & Gray Magazine, to Art & AI
Paris sits down with her friend, artist, and talented, Bil Brown. They kick off the conversation with a lighthearted discussion about Bil's long hair and a humorous, unexpected suggestion of a live haircut. Bil shares a funny anecdote about his last haircut being during the pandemic and a Jim Morrison quote about bad haircuts. Paris then reminisces about how she first met Bil years ago at a convention in Las Vegas, even before their more memorable meeting at Leica, a detail she didn't recall until much later. Bil then discusses his "Black and Gray" magazine, which is making a comeback, and mentions his collaboration with Matt Mercury, who will be an associate publisher.Bil delves into his diverse professional background, starting with his MFA in avant-garde poetry from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University, a Buddhist college. He recounts how he became a photographer by accident after working for a modeling agency and shares fascinating stories about meeting comedian Jeff Garlin and being introduced to Robert Frank by Allen Ginsberg. He also details his involvement with the Ginsberg archive at Stanford, where he photographed Ginsberg's India journals with his Leica. The conversation then shifts to Bil's 15-year career as an agent, where his major client was Amazon Fashion, overseeing 600+ photographers, stylists, and digitechs across numerous studios. He reveals the shocking reason for the end of his relationship with Amazon: they were using his talent to train their AI, and then proposed a "collab agreement" where he would pay them to hire his talent, which he refused.Inspired by these experiences, Bil shares his new "vow of photography," mirroring his earlier "vow of poetry" to "make the world safe for photography" in the face of AI. He emphasizes the importance of content credentials in cameras like the Leica M11-P to prove authenticity. They touch upon the controversial situation surrounding Nick Ut's iconic photo and the ongoing debate about attribution. Bil also discusses his family history, including his Cherokee great-grandfather and his surprising connection to the wealthy Brown family of Louisville, Kentucky. He closes by sharing a poem from his Kerouac School days and his vision for the revived "Black and Gray" magazine, aiming to feature both renowned and emerging artists while incorporating street photography ethics into editorial work.Show Notes:www.theparischongshow.com/episodes/bil-brown-from-avant-garde-poetry-fashion-photography-black-gray-magazine-to-art-aiChapters:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:28) Bil Brown(00:02:21) Black & Grey(00:11:22) Amazon(00:13:14) Vow of Photography(00:16:20) Magnum(00:19:28) #1 Dad(00:21:58) 100 Years of Leica Block Party(00:24:11) Black & Grey Reissue(00:29:43) Street Photographers(00:34:20) Thoughts on AI(00:39:57) Film vs Digital(00:46:32) Outro🎵 Music by Andrew Raiher https://andrewraiher.com/📸 Shot & Edited at Visible Audio Studios https://www.visibleaudiostudios.com
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