Kat Bawden

About

Kat Bawden (www.katbawden.com) is an artist and teacher who explores the relationships between memory, time, the self, and the body in the aftermath of traumatic experience. Kat works in photographs, video installations, handmade books, and community storytelling projects. Kat received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was awarded the James Weinstein Memorial Fellowship.

Scheduled to Teach

The Urban Landscape for Teens (ages 12-18) with Kat Bawden (Online Learning - Summer)

Gallery

LACP Interviews Kat Bawden

LACP asks Kat Bawden ten questions about their background, career in and beliefs about photography.

LACP: What kind of photographer are you?

Kat Bawden: I’m a photographer whose work explores the relationships between memory, time, the self, and the body, particularly in the aftermath of traumatic experience. I work in photographs, videos, handmade books, and community-based storytelling projects.

LACP: How long have you been photographing?

KB: I’ve been photographing since I was 14 years old, but I started my professional career in 2015.

LACP: Where did you get your training?

KB: In 2023, I completed by MFA in Photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. But I first learned darkroom photography in high school, and I took classes at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies’ continuing education program when I first decided to pursue photography professionally.

LACP: When did you know you wanted to devote your life to photography?

KB: Ever since I developed my first photograph in the darkroom at age 14. But it took many years before I actually pursued it.

LACP: Did you ever come close to giving up?

KB: A little, but never seriously.

LACP: Have you sacrificed anything by being a photographer?

KB: Yes.

LACP: What have you gained by being a photographer?

KB: Through practicing and teaching photography, I’ve gained a tool to help process my and others’ lived experiences and create meaning.

LACP: What classes do you teach at LACP?

KB: I teach in LACP’s wonderful youth program.

LACP: What do you love most about teaching?

KB: It’s amazing to see my students grow and develop as artists. I love seeing their different ways of observing and analyzing the world around them.

LACP: What advice would you give someone who is thinking about making a career in photography?

KB: Push yourself, take risks, and be patient. Reach out to photographers whose career paths interest you. Take classes and try as many different kinds of photography as you can to see what you connect with most.