My peer and friend, Alexa Mantell, was kind enough to point me in Brad’s direction. Brad is the owner of Risen Industries,
a film and photography company that encompasses quite a spectrum of projects. Brad is filming a project for television that revolves around the tattoo industry and incorporates accepted “applicants” for on-air tattoos. Now, I have to profess that I am not aware of many of the project’s details. This past weekend was the first “shoot” and much of the talk has been kept under wraps for now. I hope to remedy that situation tomorrow night.
I will be meeting Brad at the Barnes & Noble cafe’ in Glassboro, Monday, March 14th at 6:30 p.m. Brad is from the area and also has an art gallery in downtown Glassboro. I think that Brad will be an excellent resource for me for two reasons. His film project is obviously of great interest, especially in the wake of those major shows that have come before (LA Ink, Miami Ink, etc). The opportunity to discuss the project, the direction of it and intended goals will be important in illustrating society’s continued trends and interest in the art of tattooing. There are also thoughts that the industry has veered wildly off course from the intentions of the “fore fathers” of tattooing. There are those who feel that this change is to be embraced as it has catapulted the tattoo industry into an accepted part of mainstream society. These are some of the thoughts I’d like to discuss with Brad as we sit down over our triple, double mocha half-calf, iced double grande lattes (kidding, I’ll probably skip the ice).
The other side of the coin, is that I’d like to talk to Brad as an artist. Not a tattoo artist, but a graphic/fine artist. He works with many different media and it is interesting to me (especially in light of Lorraine Daston’s “Things That Talk”) what his thoughts are on tattoos as an art form. I’d like to know how he perceives the evolution of the craft and if/how tattoos can “speak” to us.
As far as Gubrium and Holstein’s “Postmodern Interviewing” is concerned, I believe that my interview with Brad will be an active interview, with a “developing plot” (p. 75). The parameters of the topic are so loosely connected that I cannot be entirely sure which path our conversation will take us. There is also the consideration that I am not entirely informed as to the breadth of the tattoo film project and/or Brad’s experiences with it. By conducting the interview in a fluid and dynamic fashion, it will ensure that we are both able to enjoy and contribute to the conversation.
I am looking forward to my interview with Brad tomorrow and very pleased with how receptive he was to sitting down with me.