Tanna, Kyle and family, from Uprooted © Kristine Heykants 2017
Photography, like the written word, does not exist inside the box of one discipline. An example is the extraordinary work of documentary and humanitarian photographer Eugene Richards. He has amassed a pile of awards from the heavy-hitters of awarding institutions: The Guggenheim Foundation, ICP Infinity Awards, World Press Photo to name a few. His pictures are represented by art galleries and the most prestigious museums. He has been know to accept corporate and advertising commissions.
There is pressure for lesser-known artists to create a "brand" in order to stand out in a media-saturated world. This leads to my point: I'm going to Washington DC in November to present Uprooted alongside a group of academic researchers and artists in a panel on innovative visual research methods at the American Association of Anthropology's annual conference.
From this day forward: Brand be damned!