My Bugly Photos

Joshua Freitag

The Upstairs Gallery
418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi

3 - 26 June 2022

Part of the Auckland Festival of Photography

"Hi, my name name is Joshua Freitag and these are my bugly photos. Photography and I only exist in three realities, but the fundamental nature of it makes them slightly more malleable. The art form leans towards truth and honesty, so I have to be honest with myself and with the intent of my personal practice. At first I was looking for beauty in ugly photos, but now I’m telling ugly stories with beautiful photos. Because my father wasn’t from here and my mother wasn’t around, I lost my cultural identity.

I had to build my own one out of a house bus, a couple of crystals, some pop icons and a bead necklace, each bead represents a sin. It doesn’t protect me from them but it is a reminder of where they lead. For this practice to be successful I’m going to have to commit more of them.

It can only go two ways, either the prodigal son returns and in a hundred years from now when many more Freitag’s inhabit this land they will be able to see the reality that got them here. And if not then they where right. I am just like my father and his father before him. A bullshit artist."

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