James Andrew photographed by Kyle Mumford
Always looking for the right art for my clients’ interiors, I ventured out to Bushwick in Brooklyn New York to meet with the multi-talented Kyle Mumford
He’s a true renaissance man; a director, actor, film maker, photographer, and writer – I was quite intrigued by the ravishingly raw beauty of his photographs and felt they would add an interesting edge to some of the interiors I was creating for a young client.
Mumford’s own story is rather fascinating—he’s had his share of struggles, and has overcome quite a few obstacles to become what he is today. Mumford grew up in West Allenhurst NJ, on the outskirts of Asbury Park NJ – a bit of a rough neighborhood, with a hard-working middle class bent. Diagnosed at a young age with OCD, ADD, Dyslexia, and Tourette’s, early life proved to be challenging, but it was through art that he found his voice. Thankfully his parents were hugely supportive, and as Mumford tells us, he was allowed to run with his talents.
Self portrait – Kyle Mumford
“I started teaching myself photography halfway through film school,” Mumford tells us. “One day in late summer on my 20th birthday my father gave me his old Chino 35mm camera. He’s had it as long as I could remember. A friend of his gave it to him when he was 16 after steeling it from a hardware store…Little did he know that that camera [would be] the start of what got me into film photography. I never liked digital because it had no character and the image was too clean for me. I wanted to exercise my eye with photography in the beginning for my work in filmmaking, but photography soon became a big part of me.” Later he went on to travel, which taught him how to engage with strangers, and he’s since made a substantial body of work documenting those travels and the people he’s met.
Travel photograph by Kyle Mumford
Travel photograph by Kyle Mumford
Now in Bushwick – which has a substantial community of artists – he seems perfectly in his element. “I shoot 35mm 3200 ISO speed film, black and white. That look really shows the audience a taste of what is going on. Not just “this is Bushwick,” but a look into the lifestyle of the struggling young adult and artist. A grungy feel, [with subject matter] ranging from living conditions, to looks, to underground music, to the industrial and innovative streets. Its a place of characteristics. I loved it so much I bought property out here!”
It seems Mumford has a story to go with each of his cameras. For our shoot at top, Mumford used a camera gifted to him by a cherished teacher not long before she passed away. With so much love in these instruments, and Mumford with his eye to the finder, its not surprising that the photograph of me came out so wonderfully!
Mumford’s vintage Mamiya
Do check out his site – also Mumford will be showing in Bushwick on March 1st – 31st Location, at the Morgan town Bar, 44 Willson ave. Bushwick Brooklyn (Between Mesrole and George).
For my Bushwick shoot, I’m sporting a Tom Ford era Gucci black cotton corduroy jacket, Eddie Bauer slim black down jacket underneath, Tom Ford white cotton shirt with French cuffs, black pearl cuff links, a beautiful bow tie by Le Noeud Papillon vintage Rolex, red leather gloves by Sermoneta, Uniqlo slim jean and Tom Ford black and tan leather loafers, Tom Ford Bronzing Gel and Creed Royal Oud is my fragrance.
