Interview – Part II

Interviewer ~ I have to say that after our last interview I wasn’t sure you were going to grant me a second interview.

MH~ What can I say slick, I missed you.

Interviewer ~ Seriously, it’s been exactly 1 year, 1 month and 14 days since our last interview and that’s not including today.

MH~ You’re freaking me out kid… let’s get on with it shall we.

Interviewer ~ Last time we talked you were just around the corner from turning 40. How’d that work out?

MH~ Not sure I understand the question.

Interviewer ~ I mean, how did it feel to hit the big 4-0? For most people it’s a big, life-defining moment.

MH~ I’m not most people. But if you must know, it came and went without much fanfare. It was a moment defined by nothing but the date in which it occurred – nothing more nothing less.

Interviewer ~ Sounds…ah, well you know…

MH~ Suppose I don’t Slick, why don’t you tell me.

Interviewer ~ Ah… lets move onto something else.

MH~ Okay.

Interviewer ~ Of course I want to talk to you about your photography but before getting into that I want to ask you a series of questions that don’t focus on your work. Is that alright?

MH ~ Shoot slick.

Interviewer ~ How would you describe yourself?

MH~ Stupid question.

Interviewer ~ No really, give me a short definition of who Marques Haven is.

MH~ Okay, I’ll bite. Here’s the thing. I am someone whose work, as well as himself, can be defined by a single word… the trick is choosing the word.

Interviewer ~ And what word would you chose?

MH~ Now where’s the fun in that.

Interviewer ~ Quick, think of a word, any word – what is it?

MH~ What is this, an interview or a therapy session?

Interviewer ~ Do you go to therapy?

MH~ My word is Una. Though I guess that would have to be considered something other than a word.

Interviewer ~ That’s Spanish right? What does it mean?

MH~ The meaning is a little lost in translation but it short I have heard it’s a truth that doesn’t’ say anything and at the same time hides everything. Like a bonfire that does not turn off, like a stone that is born of dust… or something like that. Anyway, to me it represents the melody of a lost soul – a song dying to be heard. But I have a feeling that definition wont stand muster – but to me that’s what it represents.

Interviewer ~ Wow, that sounds beautiful and tortured at the same time.

MH~ Slick your powers of perception never cease to amaze me. Next question.

Interviewer ~ The word on the street is that you have stopped smoking, true?

MH~ The streets aren’t safe these days. You should find another place to troll for information.

Interviewer ~ You haven’t lit up once since we began this interview.

MH~ Nothing gets passed you… keep it moving.

Interviewer ~ Okay, moving on. I noticed the bottle of wine, celebrating anything?

MH~ Oh the bottle of Anta da Serra… it precedes me but I have heard it’s a bitter grape. So no, there shall be no celebrating.

Interviewer ~ So, lets talk about your work as a photographer. Your work seems to have slowed down. Have you lost inspiration?

MH~ No.

The meaning is a little lost in translation but it short I have heard it’s a truth that doesn’t’ say anything and at the same time hides everything. Like a bonfire that does not turn off, like a stone that is born of dust… or something like that. Anyway, to me it represents the melody of a lost soul – a song dying to be heard. But I have a feeling that definition wont stand muster – but to me that’s what it represents.

Interviewer ~ Than why haven’t you submitted anything lately. I mean I’ve seen you’re last submissions and there okay but nothing like your former work. And the frequency has slowed dramatically… why?

MH~ Truthfully I am not sure as to why. I am inspired and I have accumulated what I consider to be a strong body~of~work. However, I am beginning to feel that I need to follow some natural transition, a progression that will more acutely define me as a photographer.

Interviewer ~ What do you think that transition entails?

MH~ In short, I simply don’t know. I wish I did. I want to submit work without explanation. For me, the act of providing insight as to why I submitted this, or submitted that, dilutes the process. The meaning should be unsolicited. The result for me has been not to submit… at least not as frequently.

Interviewer ~ Do you think you will ever get into shooting subjects?

MH~ By subjects, do you mean people?

Interviewer ~ Yes.

 

MH ~ I would like to. I think that would fall into that natural transition. But for me it’s a matter of self-expression or more to the point, freedom of expression. If I were to begin the process of capturing subjects, people, than freedom of expression would be anything but free… costly to say the least.

Interviewer ~ I see. So what’s next?

MH ~ Dinner and possibly a drink.

Interviewer ~ Well I don’t want to take anymore of your time but if I may I have one last question. Care to mention other photographers that inspire you these days?

MH~ Earlier you implied that I lost inspiration.

Interviewer ~ That’s not what I meant. So really, who do you admire?

MH ~ There are many but I would have to say Roni River – she is a moment. She has the courage and strength to do what most cannot.

Interviewer ~ And what is that?

MH~ Give truth to herself.

Interviewer ~ Would you like to add anything before we finish?

MH~ There is nothing else to be said.

Interviewer ~ Oh, one last thing.

MH~ Of course there is.

Interviewer ~ I noticed that you use the tilde root character after your name. Why?

MH~ Of course the tilde root symbol is used often in computing – the root or home directory or back to the beginning. For me that meaning is part of it but to me the symbol also represents the ebb and flow of things, the up and down flow of ones existence. In my case, my existence.

Interviewer ~ Thank you for the time, I hope we can do this again.

MH ~ Don’t get your hopes up slick!