'I thought a devil was about to appear from the smoke': Jerry Hsu’s best photograph
'The black cloud emerged from a grate in the street. I guess something underground was on fire. It was hilariously cinematic – just one of those eerie, spontaneous things that happen in a city'
TL;DR
- The photograph capturing black smoke emerging from a street grate in Los Angeles was inspired by a spontaneous, cinematic moment.
- Hsu's work explores the 'noir' and 'transgressive pulse' of Los Angeles, finding both cruelty and compassion in the city.
- His book 'How About Never' spans his relationship with his wife, from their meeting to their marriage's end, focusing on vulnerability.
- Hsu's 25-year professional skateboarding career influenced his photography by fostering quick reactions, a unique environmental perspective, and the courage to interpret reality.
- He views the city as his subconscious, wandering through it like a dream to capture images that reveal aspects of himself.
- Photography is Hsu's way of connecting with the world and expressing himself, overcoming his shyness.
- The book contains elements of bleakness but also hope, symbolized by the final image of a cat moving forward.