The Photo Vault: A journey into Vernacular Photography, Archives and Photobooks

In this episode, we hear from an artist who, according to reliable sources, is BIG IN JAPAN—Dutch artist Chantal Rens. Her lifelong obsession with collecting has shaped her into a collage artist creating surrealist images brimming with fantasy and a hint of desire. What she desires, we'll uncover in this conversation. A favorite quote: “If people see my work, they get happy”—something rarely said about contemporary art.Listen as Chantal, in her own words, makes art out of "useless stuff," bringing a unique touch of humor to her creations.Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

Welcome to the Photo Vault, featuring books that inspire you! Today, we're exploring the work of one of my favorite storytellers in the form of a photo book that uses a lot of vernacular photography—Kurt Tong. Listen to this episode to gain insight into why he values these three bodies of work.Dracula - Bram Stoker The Haunting of Bly Manor - Mike Flanagan Philip Pullman - His Dark Material  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, I take you to Singapore, where I attended the Singapore International Photo Festival with the Myanmar Photo Archive. During my time there, I met Roy Ng, a curator at the National Gallery Singapore. Our conversation quickly turned into a deep dive into the evolving cultural landscape of Singapore—how the city-state is positioning itself as a regional cultural hub, the complexities of representation, and the role of institutions in shaping artistic narratives. Roy shares his insights on decolonization, the challenges of curating national identity, and the global structures of art history. Join me as we explore these themes and more in a fascinating discussion about art, institutions, and cultural memory.National Gallery  Myanmar Photo ArchiveThe Buddhist ArchiveRumah Abu: Death and the Photographic Medium in Straits Chinese Ancestral HallsFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode of The Photo Vault, we speak with the wonderfully insightful Chiara Capodici about her experience in the photobook world. From the "mythical times" in Europe 20 years ago to today's bookselling landscape, portfolio reviews, and photobook publishing, Chiara shares her journey and perspectives.Chiara runs Leporello Books in Rome, Italy—a bookshop primarily devoted to photography, graphic design, architecture, and illustration. It also serves as an exhibition space focused on books and images, promoting a multidisciplinary approach to visual culture.In addition, Chiara teaches, curates, and creates across a broad range of photography-related topics.Find links here to people and places mentioned in the episode:Leporello BooksSebastian Hau  Sugarpaper Markus Schaden & Frederic Lezmi  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

We all need inspiration, and books can certainly provide it. Today, we explore some wonderfully unusual inspirations from Dutch collage artist Chantal Rens. Her book selections stem from her deep love for animals. Discover more through her descriptions, and see links to the books she discusses below:Mijn lama, Diekman Miep Counting sheep  Hans van der Meer erik Kessel - in almost every picture 9SOUVENIR - ROLAND TOPOR Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

Meet Kurt Tong, an award-winning photographer and storyteller who has crafted some of the finest narratives in recent years, blending archival and vernacular photographs with personal storytelling. In our conversation, he gives a very honest account of why he left photojournalism and how to rethink your goals as an artist.Enjoy this conversation!Artist website: Dear Franklin Book Krampus: Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

3 Books That Inspire You Today with Chiara Capodici, who runs Leporello Books in Rome. Chiara brings a deeply philosophical approach to photobooks and bookmaking. Tune in to hear about her two current favorite photobooks and her all-time favorite author.She recommends  the following books and authorsTara - Sebastian Bruno   Silence is a gift - Ciro Battiloro  Roberto Calasso  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

This episode of The Photo Vault accompanies the latest edition of REVU magazine, titled War & Peace. REVU is the Vernacular Social Club's print outlet, covering a variety of subjects. Although there is much to say on War & Peace, this episode was not easy to create. We decided to touch on a few aspects of War & Peace in photography and in general. The world at this moment, or perhaps at any given moment, is entangled in so many wars that it is almost impossible to know where to begin. Most likely, REVU and its visual investigations in vernacular photography around War & Peace are more successful, as they have no beginning and no end, and the images can be interpreted individually by each reader. So please have a look at it after you listen to the Podcast.Visit the Vernacular Social Club's website for more information on REVU.References:Nelson MandelaTIME Photojournalist Lynsey AddarioWar & Peace by Director Bondarchuk Sergey 1964 Archive of Modern ConflictSoldier Studies bookWar - Edwin StarrFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, you will follow Lukas as he explores the photobook world at Les Rencontres de la Photographie d'Arles, a fantastic photo festival in the south of France that has been running since 1970. Lukas talks to publishers, artists, fair organizers, and bookshop owners about the festival, the book market, and how the photobook has evolved in a festival environment like Arles. We delve into the thoughts of publishers based in Europe, authors who come all the way from Mexico, and some of the pioneers who started facilitating photobook platforms 20 years ago in festivals such as the one in Arles.Enjoy this episode with the voices of Salambo Goudal (France Photo Book), Grzegorz Kosmala (Blow Up Press), Matej Sitar (The Angry Bat), Abed Abidat ( Images Plurielles), Benoit Capoddi (Halogenure), Cesar Rodriguez, Zhen Zhi ( La maison Z), Pedro Guimarães  (XYZ Books), Frederic Lezmi (The Photobook Museum),  Thomas Gust (Buchkunst Berlin), Vincent Van Baar (Royal Academy of Art The Hague), Kalin Kruse (Die Nacht) and Delphine Manjard  (Palais du Palais).Publishers/Bookshops/Books mentioned in the Podcast in order of appearanceLes Rencontres de la photographie d'Arles   France Photobook Blow Up Press  The Angry Bat Publishing   Images Plurielles  Halogenure  Benoit Capponi  César Rodríguez   KWY Editions    La Maison Z - The Photobook Museum  XYZ LISBON     Buchkunst Berlin -  Vincent van Baar  Royal Academy of Art The Hague  Die Nacht Publishing  Librairie du Palais   Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode of The Photo Vault, we receive book recommendations from the Istanbul-based artist Cemre Yeşil Gönenli. Her book choices are varied and full of emotional connections to her own journey of becoming a photo artist. Listen to her colourful stories of how books can inspire and change your perspectives. Listen also to a previous episode where we talk with Cemre in detail about her practice and what it's like to work as an artist in today's Turkey.References:The Chain Chien-Chi ChangSophie Calle take care of your selfAlec Soth Niagara Steidl /  Mack 2nd EditionElliott Ewitt - Le petit monde Cemre's Books:Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment  - Double PortraitFor Birds sake  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this Episode of The Photo Vault we are going to explore a very peculiar Vernacular Photo Festival in Italy. Gu.Pho. Our host Lukas went South to work on an exhibition of the Vernacular Social Club as well as an installation for his new book “A tiny visual history of the Moustache”.  Gu.Pho festival, in the wonderful town of Guigla, about 40 minutes south of Bologna, in a magnificently run-down castle, was full of surprises and insights. Listen in this Episode what the festival is all about, who started it and how. It might inspire you. References:Gu.PhoGu.Pho InstagramMax Fisher introduction The creation - making time PetriPaselli Artist DuoSugar Paper Space ModenaGu.Pho Visual on the Vernacular Social Club WebsiteFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode of The Photo Vault, we discuss with Dutch artist and editor Erik Kessels why it is important to have an opinion and dislike things, as well as why it is most important that young artists get paid. Erik is a prolific book and exhibition maker, known for his narrative creation through appropriated images.Take a look as well at Erik's website and publishing page to gain a deeper understanding of his work and thought process."Enjoy the conversation:Erik Kessels WebsiteInstagram Kessel Kramer PublishingFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

Follow French editor and artist Thomas Sauvin on his journey from a Chinese language student to the collector and editor of an enormous archive that he continually augments from a dumpsite in Beijing. With his project, Beijing Silvermine, he has produced humorous and intelligent publications over the last 10 years, granting us access to a specific period in time in China. Lukas met Thomas in Paris at the Beijing Silvermine studio, and in their conversation, they unravel Thomas' reflections on his work in the past, present, and future.Beijing SilvermineThomas Sauvin InstagramFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, we delve into a talk event on Vernacular Photography that took place in November 2023. Our host, Lukas, was one of the speakers and has encapsulated a myriad of ideas, thoughts, and practices surrounding everyday imaging that were presented during the event. The talk was organized by the Eidolon Center in Budapest, a new institution that concentrates on vernacular, archives, and everyday imagery. They create a fantastic journal that showcases artists and academics actively working in the field. In this episode you will hear ideas by artists and academics such as Joanna Zylinska,  Miklós Tamási, Geoffrey Batchen, Joachim Schmid and Annebella Pollen. Links to the podcast and event organized by the Eidolon CenterEidolon Center Fortepan Archive The Family Museum Geoffrey Batchen – Whither the vernacular?Joachim Schmid – Bilder von der Strasse & Other People's PhotographsJoanna Zylinska – On Our Photographic FutureAnnebella Pollen – Learning from photographic mistakesMichal Šimůnek – Analogue-digital encounters in photography Lukas Birk – Vernacular photography and the publicFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, we meet Thweep Rittinaphakorn, also known as Ake, in Bangkok, and explore his collection of photographs from Myanmar during the colonial era. Ake is an expert in Myanmar textiles who ventured into collecting photography and released a photobook from a very different background. His collection is fascinating and multi-layered, as he doesn't approach his images from a pictorial point of view but rather through an examination of materiality. Find out more about Ake on his Instagram and check out his recently released book.  UNSEEN BURMA Early Photography 1862-1962 Ake's InstagramOther subject mentioned: Shinbyu CeremonyMedia Links:Arrival of president U Nu in LondonStudent Demonstration 1988 Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

This episode of The Photo Vault prompts us to question the world around us by examining product packaging, which often reinforces and perpetuates stereotypical norms in various aspects of our lives.Our guest, Annebella Pollen, a professor of Visual and Material Culture, author of numerous books, and an avid collector, delves into some of her projects, interests, and findings. Discover why a seemingly innocuous bikini advertisement can contribute to reinforcing stereotypes and why Annebella champions the rejects.Links to some of her publications are provided below, along with references to further contextualize our episode.--------Books by Annebellla:Mass Photography Collective Histories of Everyday LifeMore Than A Snapshot: A Visual History of Photo WalletsPodcastGlass Eye: A Podcast on Visual Culture from South Asia: Kodak WomenOther LinksKodak AdvertBoots AdvertFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, we hear thoughts, ideas, and stories from writer, critic, educator, and artist Lucy Sante. She has a fascinating history and engagement with photography, writing on photography, and collecting. She has turned some of her collections into books and tells us about how she retrieved the photographs that went into titles such as 'Evidence.'She also touches upon subjects such as being a bilingual writer, which made her a better writer, and how vernacular photography changed her life.Below are links to her books and other works.Enjoy the conversation.Reference links:Hal Morgan & Andreas Brown- Prairie Fires and Paper Moons Lucy Santes WebsiteLuc Santes - Folk PhotographyLuc Santes - EvidenceLuc Sante on Charlie Rose about Low Life - some long time agoSpirit photographyInstagram I Heard Her Call My Name - new bookFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode of The Photo Vault, we discuss with artist, photographer, and book publisher Joachim Schmid why he is not a collector but a gatherer. We also delve deep into computer history and Joachim's first contact with Apple computers, as well as why he likes to create low-quality photobooks, explore Flickr, and engage in gardening.Joachim Schmid is one of the most influential artists working with found images and has been creating artwork, books, exhibitions, and text since the 1980s. His practice challenges traditional notions of authorship and ownership. Renowned for appropriating and repurposing found photographs, he transforms ordinary snapshots into profound reflections on culture and society. Through his extensive body of work, including projects like "Photogenetic Drafts" and "Other People's Photographs," Schmid investigates the vernacular image's role in shaping collective memory. Embracing ambiguity, his art blurs the lines between creator and curator, provoking viewers to reconsider the inherent value and meaning within everyday photographs.Enjoy the conversation, and if you want to learn more about vernacular photography, visit our website at www.vernacularsocialclub.org.Further links:Joachim Schmid WebsiteBilder von der StrasseFlickr (keyword Joachim Schmid)Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In today's Three Books that inspired you special, we hear Greek curator and writer Natasha Christia talk about the important role of literature in her work and also what inspired her in theoretical writing.Her three recommendations are:Emmanuel CarrèreAriella Azoulay - the civil contract of photography / potential history: unlearning imperialism Natasha Christia & Lukas Birk, GülistanFind visuals to the books on our website www.vernacularsocialclub.org  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, we are meeting with Cemre Yeşil Gönenli, an Istanbul-born and -based artist, photographer, and educator. She gives us insight into her quest for finding the invisible through photography, by looking at what cannot be seen in images. Cemre also talks about the current difficult situation for artists in Turkey and why inflation makes it so challenging to run a photo bookshop. She opened FILbooks a few years ago, a photobook cafe in the heart of the city. One of her recent books, "Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment," deals with photographs commissioned by Abdul Hamid II, the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Find out in the conversation how she uses these archival materials to discuss the current political situation.Cemre also talks about becoming a mother while trying to maintain a rock 'n' roll lifestyle and why it is important to collaborate in this lonely field of photography.Find out more:Cemre's website / Her Book shop Books: Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment   / For Birds sake  News reportFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In our first Three Books that inspired you special we asked Dutch artist Erik Kessels about photo-books that enriched his way of thinkingThe books are:Chantal Rens - YOU RUN AROUND TOWN LIKE A FOOL AND YOU THINK THAT IT'S GROOVY, published by PANTOFLE BOOKS, 2916Christian Boltanksi,  KADISH. Paris: Musée d'Art Modern; München: Gina Kehayoff Verlag, 1998Sha kokken The love in sex life, Published by Ikeda, 1968Find visuals to the books on our website www.vernacularsocialclub.org  Follow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

In this episode, we have the great pleasure to meet with Professor Geoffrey Batchen, an expert in the history of photography. He has taught in his native Australia, the United States, and currently holds a position at Oxford in the UK as a professor of the history of art. He has curated exhibitions in renowned institutions such as the ICP in New York, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Izu Photo Museum in Shizuoka, Japan.Geoffrey is one of the popularisers of the term Vernacular Photography through his extensive writing and involvement in the field. We recorded this conversation during a conference on Vernacular Photography organised by the Eidolon Centre in Budapest.Geoffrey talks about how to look at images, emphasising that there is no such thing as banal, and delves into the significance of smiles in photographs. He also touches on the question of where Vernacular fits in our historical narrative and discusses the dangers of assigning financial value to everyday images.Read more about Geoffrey Batchen's work.Geoffrey Batchen: Forget Me Not: Photography & RemembranceNegative/Positive A History of Photography bookApparitions: Photography and Dissemination bookVernacular photographies essayFurther links:Eidolon Center BudapestFortpan Archive BudapestMalick SidibéFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

Nous publions, donc nous existons ! Voici le premier épisode de The Photo Vault. Découvrez la proposition éditoriale de ce podcast, ainsi que la façon de vous engager auprès du Vernacular Social Club, votre plateforme dédiée à la photographie vernaculaire, aux archives photographiques, aux collections et aux livres de photos. Dans cette introduction, vous entendrez les voix du collectionneur, éditeur et artiste Jean-Marie Donat, ainsi que son point de vue sur le Vernaculaire. Lucy Sante, autrice, écrivaine et professeure, partagera également sa définition de la photographie vernaculaire. Nous discutons également de REVU, le tout nouveau magazine publié par le Vernacular Social Club.Référence:Interview avec Aldous HuxleyReview of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley1939 New York World fair newsreelGolden Gate Bridge OpeningFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member

We publish; therefore, we exist! This is our first episode of The Photo Vault. Find out what to expect from this podcast in the future, as well as how to engage with the Vernacular Social Club, your platform for Vernacular Photography, Archives, Collecting, and Photo-books. In this introduction, you will hear the voices of collector, editor, and artist Jean-Marie Donat, along with his views on the Vernacular. Also, author, writer, and professor Lucy Sante will share her definition of Vernacular photography. We also discuss REVU, the brand-new magazine that the Vernacular Social Club is releasing, with its first edition titled 'Brave New World' after Aldous Huxley's book of the same titleEnjoy!References: Interview with Aldous HuxleyReview of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley1939 New York World fair newsreel Golden Gate Bridge OpeningFollow us on Instagram:@Vernacular Social Club@Lukas BirkBecome a Vernacular Social Club member