INZAJEANO LATIF (Glasgow, UK)
Biography:
Inz is most often described as a ‘portrait photographer who engages with people on the fringes of society,’ choosing to expose their intimate interactions with their environments, and looking at how those environments shape them. For him photography opens up a brave new world of exposure and insight in ways that words often fail to do.
Inz’s work has been exhibited widely, most notably at the National Portrait Gallery in London, where his image ‘Female Boxer No. 3’ was the signature piece of the show. He has also exhibited at the Jerwood Space (London); the Host Gallery (London); the Getty Gallery (London) and the Empire Gallery (London), and his work has been part of the Tim Andrews group show. His projects, ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’, ‘Al-Ghurba (The Exile)’ and ‘Girls’, have been exhibited in China, the US and Europe respectively. He’s had a solo show at the Arab–British Centre in the UK and has been finalist in numerous prestigious photography competitions.
Inz holds a BA and MA in Photography.
Artist Statement:
I use portraiture to explore places. Working from the conviction that a portrait is, as far as possible, an act of common engagement, and only through a long-term obligation to a place and to a community can a meaningful series of photographs be made. My intention is to contribute to a wider understanding of these groups, to respect them as individuals and to counter the ignorance and prejudice that often attaches to them thus approaching my craft with humility, care, respect and honesty. At the same time, exploring the notion of the portrait itself
Practice Statement: How does photographing on film (or using your material photographic process of predilection) inform your artistic practice?
For me, shooting analogue is about feeling and soul, the appearance and the texture of the images and the way this resonates through the story and its narrative. It’s also about the endless, beautiful struggle of elusive perfection.
