David Campany is a British artist, writer, and curator
Episode 199: This is the second conversation that I have been lucky enough to conduct with the artist, researcher, writer, curator David Campany whose prodigious output serves as inspiration for many involved in the medium of photography.
We started this episode with a brief discussion of Paul Graham’s exhibition But Still, It Turns at the International Center of Photography in New Your where David works. The main focus of our conversation was to speak a little bit more on Walker Evans, an artist that David is very familiar with. Walker Evans poses as something of an enigma in the historical canon of photography.
Obviously brilliant, there is something about his work that gets under the skin and settles in the consciousness with an unspoken vigor for those who begin investigating his legacy. To fall down the Evans hole suggests a deep and long passion for his work that is nearly unparalleled in terms of its grip. He is rightfully considered one of the most important voices in photography and it has been very interesting reading about his life. I had read James Mellow’s biography in preparation for the episode as well as re-familiarizing myself with David’s book on Walker’s magazine work that came out a few years ago. The conversation, as always with David, was severely illuminating and I feel a deep sense of respect for his time and intellectual generosity. Please dig in. There are lots of things to uncover and I stand grateful for the opportunity.
