Navigated to The Collapse of the American Dream - Photography as Witness: Bryan Schutmaat, E104

The Collapse of the American Dream - Photography as Witness: Bryan Schutmaat, E104

November 26
1h 35m

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Episode Description

Bryan Schutmaat  is a photographer, publisher, and quiet poet of the American West. Known for books such as Grays the Mountain Sends, Good Goddamn, and Sons of the Living, Bryan’s work explores the uneasy tension between land and people, myth and memory, endurance and hope. He is also co-founder of Trespasser Books, a small but powerful imprint shaping the future of modern photobooks.

In This Conversation We Explore

  • Why photography feels so lonely and how community changes everything
  • Building meaningful creative connections in a solitary craft
  • The making of Sons of the Living and the stories behind the images
  • Navigating narrative, ambiguity, and emotional truth in photography
  • Why photobooks still matter and how sequencing shapes meaning
  • The philosophy behind Trespasser and independent publishing
  • Curiosity, discipline, and the struggle to stay creatively alive
  • The American dream, the American West, and the reality between them
  • How to make work that does something rather than pretending it does
  • The inner journey of becoming an artist with a distinct point of view

Follow Bryan and his incredible work:
Website: www.bryanschutmaat.co
Instagram:
@bryanschutmaat

This episode is sponsored by Strata Editions - use discount code 'MOOD' for 10% discount on their store - visit strata-editions.com to shop and see their collections.

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