Featured Photographer: J.K. Lavin's Series “Crisis of Experience”
“October 30, 1981” from the series Crisis of Experience
As I grow older, the concept of time and reflecting on my past becomes an ever-present thought. I often wonder, if I had the power, would I go back in time and relive my years of youth before the experiences of life had shaped my being? It sounds like a good time, but I’m not quite sure that I would. I like knowing what I know now, and that has considerable power when it comes to carving out my future years, which are just as valuable. Taking another shot at my past self seems exciting, yet would probably be a terrible idea in reality. These thoughts fascinate me, so when there is a body of work that I meet that examines these concepts, I take notice and want to learn more. That’s where Crisis of Experience, by J.K. Lavin comes in. From her artist statement on the work:
“Crisis of Experience is the result of an eight year project exploring themes of self-reflection and female identity using the mechanics of seriality. The work originates from a series of Polaroid SX70 self-portraits taken on a daily basis from 1979 to late 1987. This ritual also became a way to stay grounded as much of my life was unraveling.”
An interest in photojournalism and the power of the photograph, inspired by early exposure to Life magazine led Lavin to study photography at The Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York, and the Center of the Eye in Aspen, Colorado - eventually culminating in a Master's Degree of Art in Photography from California State University at Fullerton. While at The Visual Studies Workshop, she began experimenting with alternative processes, followed soon after by creating collages made from photobooth images. This introduced her to the pursuit of self-portraiture, and after moving to Los Angeles, began combining magazine ads with photobooth images. It was during a particularly challenging time in her life while in graduate school that, “I began taking SX70 Polaroid self-portraits every day. Little did I know that I would continue this work for over 8 ½ years.” Using two vintage Polaroid SX70 cameras and original SX70 film for its saturation and range of colors, Crisis of Experience was born.
“I wanted the work to be intuitive and intimate. Being a fan of John Cage I decided to incorporate the element of chance as a way to access the intuitive in my practice. There were certain rules surrounding the project. The time and location of the photograph were to be selected spontaneously. The camera was always handheld as I wanted my movement or breathing to be part of the image. For each photograph, I would randomly choose the focus and the exposure. I allowed myself one image per day unless the film failed entirely.”
You can imagine the sheer number of original Polaroid photographs that make up the unedited breadth of this project. The ability to now scan her originals and make larger digital pigment prints of a select group gives even greater credence to the passing of time. Please take a moment to enjoy and absorb this time capsule of reflection and memory created by J.K. Lavin. To explore her work further, investigate her Instagram and website for more.
“July 1, 1981” from the series Crisis of Experience
“June 15, 1980” from the series Crisis of Experience
ABOUT THE ARTIST
J. K. Lavin is an artist whose photographic practice considers memory, self-portraiture and the measurement of time. Duration, as well as experimentation with randomness and chance, is an important dimension of her work.
Lavin received a Master's Degree of Art in Photography from California State University at Fullerton, CA. She also studied photography at The Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York and the Center of the Eye in Aspen, Colorado.
J. K. Lavin was selected as a Fresh 2019 finalist by Klompching Gallery, NY. She has had numerous solo exhibitions including The Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester MA. Her work has been included in juried exhibitions across the US. She has exhibited at Fotofever Paris several times. Her photographs have been published in various on-line and print magazines. Lavin’s work is held in public collections.
GALLERY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Kirchoff is a photographic artist, independent curator and juror, and advocate for the photographic arts. He has been a juror for Photolucida’s Critical Mass, and has reviewed portfolios for the Los Angeles Center of Photography’s Exposure Reviews and CENTER’s Review Santa Fe. Michael has been a contributing writer for Lenscratch, Light Leaked, and Don’t Take Pictures magazine. In addition, he spent ten years (2006-2016) on the Board of the American Photographic Artists in Los Angeles (APA/LA), producing artist lectures, as well as business and inspirational events for the community. Currently, he is also Editor-in-Chief at Analog Forever Magazine, Founding Editor for the online photographer interview website, Catalyst: Interviews, and a Contributing Editor for the column, Traverse, at One Twelve Publishing. Previously, Michael spent over four years as Editor at BLUR Magazine.