Jonathan Anderson & Edwin Low

About
During their collaboration of over 35 years, Anderson & Low (Jonathan Anderson & Edwin Low) have created numerous projects. Their work includes portraiture, architectural studies, nudes, reportage, and abstraction. Their photography is noted for attention to concept, narrative, form, lighting, and printing.
They are well known for their projects looking at the process of sports, examining what it takes to be an athlete, and using this as a window onto the human condition. They are also noted for questioning the boundaries between photography and other visual arts, and for blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in their projects.
Their work is included in many collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; National Portrait Galleries of both the UK and Australia; Museum of Fine Art, Houston; Cleveland Museum of Art; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; and Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris.
Anderson & Low were official artists for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Their work was exhibited in the official 2011 Venice Biennale. They have created images relating to both Star Wars and recent James Bond films. Anderson & Low are Honorary Fellowship recipients of the Royal Photographic Society in recognition of their contribution to photography. They are Artists in Residence at Birmingham School of Art, UK.
Scheduled to Teach
Gallery
LACP Interviews Anderson & Low
LACP asks Anderson & Low ten questions about their background, career in and beliefs about photography.
Los Angeles Center of Photography: What kind of photographer are you?
Anderson & Low: That’s a good question! Our work is very varied, and covers such diverse topics. It is primarily in the art world. We are well known for sport-related art projects, and sport is a constant muse. But our architectural images have also won awards, and project blurring the line between fantasy and reality have also got a lot of attention and have been collected by many museums. Although we are best known for creating art projects, in fact there have been many times when we have been approached for commercial work directly as a result of our art.
LACP: How long have you been photographing?
A&L: We have worked together for over 35 years, but we have taken photographs for our entire lives.
LACP: Where did you get your training?
A&L: We are almost entirely self-taught apart from one key thing: we have sought out master printers to learn specific printing processes, to maximize the final expression of our images. That is still ongoing. There is always more to learn!
LACP: When did you know you wanted to devote your life to photography?
A&L: We were always so interested in photography – but the key moment was when we met and when we started working together. That was when we realized that by combining our approaches, we could create something that was greater than the sum of the two parts. That was really when we knew we could make art! And our first collaboration was exhibited at the Royal Academy, and we have never looked back since then.
LACP: Did you ever come close to giving up?
A&L: (laughing) …and do what, exactly? No, of course not. And even when funds are low, we use our creativity and imagination to find a way forward.
LACP: Have you sacrificed anything by being a photographer?
A&L: Yes, very many things (How long have you got?). A stable income is certainly one of them. But it has all been worth it. For us, the journey matters as much as the work that we create. Maybe that is why we are still in touch with so many people we have photographed over the years. The combination of our works plus those memories is priceless. What a wonderful privilege, to take such a journey!
LACP: What have you gained by being a photographer?
A&L: We have gained so many things: Incredible opportunities, experiences and relationships; magical memories; many different ways of looking at the world. And actually, one of the greatest gifts has been the gift of sharing these through teaching others: To inspire people is to receive a blessing.
LACP: What classes do you teach at LACP?
A&L: We are focusing on a few specific topics: Narrative in art, portraiture, self-portraiture, and project design. And there is an overarching theme that will link all of these together: we will use all of these to show people how one can think differently about one’s work, find new means of expression – in concept, in methodologies, in printing – and maximize the potential for communication of ideas through all of this. We want to inspire people and teach them new creative thinking and methodologies.
LACP: What do you love most about teaching?
A&L: Knowing that you have genuinely helped and inspired someone is priceless to us both. It is truly one of the most rewarding things. And it is really flattering how many of our ex-students want to keep in touch.
LACP: What advice would you give someone who is thinking about making a career in photography?
A&L: 1) Learn about HISTORY! The history of art, the history of photography including different historical processes with their aesthetics and limitations, the history of culture and how photographic history relates to this.
2) Learn about how different artists have achieved their artistic expression – how they found their own voices.
3) Find your own voice – or (like us) voices for each project.
4) Learn the importance of marketing, social media and networking.
5) Take a course in business and finance. It may not be fashionable in the art world, but it’s crucial if you want to stay solvent!