John Bolloten produces some of the grittiest photographs of folks living in Bradford that you will ever see and I was delighted when he agreed to an interview to discuss his work and inspiration.
Hi John, can you tell us about your background, how you got involved in photography and how would you describe your style of art?
I was born in Brighton and spent half of my childhood there and half in Edinburgh. I came to Bradford in West Yorkshire when I was 18 and I have been here ever since. Creatively-wise I spent many years involved in the reggae and dub scene and during a ten-year retirement period I first picked up a camera at just under 44 years of age. I am self-taught and spent the first few years just getting to grips with the technical side of using a camera and finding my own voice and identity as a photographer. Nowadays, I specialise in documentary photography focusing on people and subcultures on the margins of society. I am most known for my work with people who use drugs and have published two small books on this, in 2017 and 2019. My big hardback book covering this whole 5 year period, This is Not a Life, It’s Just an Existence, is planned to be published in November 2021.
Has lockdown impacted you creatively at all, and how have you coped over the past 18 months?
Initially I photographed anything related to the pandemic although I pretty much stayed away from the typical stuff like empty streets that a lot of photographers were photographing. Things were quiet for a bit but then a number of people I was involved with started to do activities during lockdown. So I was active photographing illegal boxing matches in Bradford, a few bare knuckle pit fighting events and also around guys who were making grime and drill music. In Bradford, there was a whole layer of life going on and as I was quite well-connected I was able to do more and more while the rest of the country was closed up. Since the restrictions were largely lifted in July, I am now probably busier than I have ever been working on various projects.
I coped pretty well on the whole. I was unemployed for the first 3 months of lockdown and then I was working again and then photographing in my spare time. Being someone in recovery, I fully understand the importance of keeping busy and doing productive things so I was continuing to channel my energies into a positive direction. In the first few months of lockdown, I published 2 zines, did a number of talks and also hosted some talks on my Instagram channel so it was quite a busy time really.
What's your latest work/project and what inspired you to make it?
I am always working on a few different projects at the same time. My main work at the moment is around the bare knuckle boxing scene, both ring and pit fighting, which is in the hay bales. I am continuing to photograph around the youth involved in grime and drill music which began in February 2017. I am 3 years into a project on UK battle rap plus I am doing another project at the moment which is under wraps but due to be published in the spring of 2022.
I am interested in many things and as a photographer I basically shoot what I am interested in and what I am curious about. So I am always inspired by the people I am working with and because these projects take a few years to bring to a conclusion and hopefully a publication, I am not getting bored at all.
Where can folks get to see your work?
I have a shop on my website where books and prints are on sale but all of my publications are currently sold out. A couple can be bought from www.fistfulofbooks.com. My website needs a good update which I will do when I have enough time but I am most active on Instagram.
Can you list your social media links?
My website is www.johnbolloten.co.uk
My Instagram is @johnbolloten
My email is johnbolloten@yahoo.co.uk
What's next for you?
Well, having my first hardback book due out later this year is a massive milestone for me but apart from that just to carry on working on all my various projects.
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