Ep. #55: Man Inside a Camera - John Chiara’s Unique Large-Format Masterpieces

🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #55 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanutica.com. In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with John Chiara, a visionary photographer who has revolutionized analog photography by crafting his own cameras, developing unique processes, and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. About Our Guest: John Chiara After dedicating an extended period in 1995 to making contact prints from his 2-1/4" x 2-1/4" negatives, John Chiara discovered that too much information was lost in the darkroom enlargement process. Over the next six years, he developed his own equipment and processes to create first-generation unique photographs without using film. Chiara’s work is a hybrid of photography, sculpture, and performance. His process demands inventive tools and immense patience. Using a hand-built 50" x 80" field camera transported on a flatbed trailer, Chiara creates one-of-a-kind photographs. He physically enters the camera, maneuvers large sheets of positive color photographic paper, and uses his hands to burn and dodge during exposures. The resulting images bear traces of this tactile process, combining soft hues with a strong sense of materiality and ephemeral presence. Chiara’s work has been exhibited at prestigious venues worldwide, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, the George Eastman Museum, and the de Young Museum. He has been commissioned by the Pilara Foundation and participated in exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the Museum Barengasse in Zurich, among others. Tune in to this episode to: - Discover John’s creative journey, from his early inspirations to his boundary-pushing techniques. - Explore the philosophy behind his unique photographic process. - Hear captivating stories of resilience, innovation, and artistic exploration, from New York to the Swiss Alps. OUTLINE: 0:00 - Coming Up… 4:41 - Empowering Perspective 7:00 - Early Inspirations 13:43 - Teenage Crime Scene Assignment 20:06 - Crafting Custom Cameras 25:08 - Influential Artists 30:23 - Memory vs. Nostalgia 45:09 - Controlled Chaos 56:51 - Reinventing New York 1:16:31 - Manhattan Living 1:24:43 - European Travel Mishap 1:26:36 - Swiss Alps During Lockdown 1:29:11 - Art as Process 1:56:17 - Advice for Artist and Photogrpahers EPISODE LINKS: John’s Website: www.johnchiara.com John’s Instagram: @john.chiara_ SOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast Don’t forget to: - Subscribe to our channel for more conversations with groundbreaking artists. - Like and share this episode to celebrate creative innovation in analog photography. - Follow us on social media for updates and exclusive content. #JohnChiara #TheUrbanautPodcast #Photography #AnalogPhotography #ExperimentalArt #ArtisticInnovation #urbanautica #stevebisson #PatrickLeeHubbard