Richard Gerst
Magnum Mentorship Program
Last summer I was accepted to the Magnum Learn Mentorship program, with Peter van Agtmael as my mentor.
Peter and I share some things in common.
I finished my post graduate education at Yale- which he attended.
I am a former military officer who spent time in Africa supporting the United States’ efforts in Somalia and Rwanda. Peter’s award winning photo-journalist career often focuses on troops stationed for duty overseas during conflict.
And . . . 9-11 was a pivotal moment for both of us.
Just as the pandemic encouraged full stop reassessments for many regarding their work-life balance, September 11, 2001 did the same.
Peter was sitting in class at Yale on 9-11. He left New Haven and came to New York to document and experience what was happening first hand- which helped launch his photographic career.
On 9-11, I took a step back and realized I wanted to push my creativity further, with the intent to create work that was memorable.
When Peter accepted my mentorship application, I was elated.
The focus of my photography has generally been social commentary. From my first exhibitions Definitions and About Face in ‘05-’06, The Riefenstahl Project in 2008, Defensio and my editorial commentary on body objectification ‘10-’11, Tybalt in 2014 and The 1&1ly User Manual in ‘17, I have shot with a purpose. Namely, to create visual statements about the world we live in, including perception, pop culture, heroism, identity, isolation and communication.
I proposed a couple of potential projects to Magnum. The one ultimately accepted was following the Ramblers, New York’s gay soccer league.
The Ramblers is an inclusionary team. They welcome all skill levels, diverse backgrounds and offer annual scholarships to gifted applicants who demonstrate high aptitude and the type of character that aligns with the organization. As a former swim team co-captain and athlete, my interest in physical fitness and the camaraderie of a team and its social support is strong.
The mentorship began in August, and I have now shot the team over a few months in multiple games, practices, and social situations ranging from Central Park picnics to post game refreshments at their local haunts.
This project has been a challenge. For years I have worked with models and teams of people arriving on set, focused on collaborating to create great images, and I’m ‘The Boss’- both technically and creatively. Everyone looked to me to provide direction. Now, I have been working with nearly the opposite scenario- no one really knew who I was, and I was giving no direction- so my control has been limited. This has been simultaneously more testing and rewarding than shooting stylized editorial work or portraiture. It has been a terrific experience thus far, and I am thrilled with the material I see - both the more upfront documentary work, and the abstract images, as shown on this post.
So now we begin the sequencing and edit . . . exciting!