Q: Are the b/w photos taken during the live performances?

No, Although I do document the performances with video
and sometimes photography, the photographic actions are
performed in my studio without any viewers.


Q: Do you use models for the photography?

No, I always use my own body. What I am trying to
achieve with the photographs, I can only do myself . I
cannot explain to someone how to move their body, or feel the gesture nor do I want to. For me being apart of the action
is very important to my conception of the work.


Q: How long is the aperature exposed for the photos?

Two to three minutes, depending on the action. I just stop
and close the camera when I feel the action is complete. There
is no fixed amount of time.


Q: What kind of light sources do you use for your photos?

I use a variety of flashlights and candles. Just what you
would buy at a hardware store. Sometimes I use flourescent
flashlights like the ones for camping trips. But they
are all fairly basic.


Q: What aperature do you use, and what kind of camera?

Generaly I shoot at f16 with 100Asa film. The camera
I use is an old Russian Lubitel (aka the Lomo). They were
built strong, unsophisticated and easy to use. Now they are
out of business. There are still places to get them, but don't
go to the Lomographic society, they have only puchased
the name and are producing little plastic cameras that should
be sold as single use cameras. e-mail me and I can tell you of a couple places I know where you can still find them.



Do you have a question you would like to ask about these works?
Please email me by clicking on the icon below.

Frequently Asked Questions 2:

The Performance Actions

Q: What came first the photos or the performance work?

I began making the photos first, in 1994. The performance
came later after I moved to New York. The first performance
I ever did publicly was in the Fall of 1997.


Q: Why did you start to do performance work?

The reason I first started working in photography was to fulfill
this desire I had to engage my body in the act of creating. If
I wanted to eliminate any distance between the idea and its
expression it seemed the next logical step towards pure communication would be to remove the framework of the photos as a 2-D representation on the wall. Leaving only the direct experience for the viewers, the body in motion immediate and present.


Do you have a question you would like to ask about these works?
Please email me by clicking on the icon below.

terrence@kelleman.com, terrencekelleman@hotmail.com