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Photographer David Sacks and interviewer Spencer Burke explore the links between artist and medium and medium and audience in an interview for ThinkFWD on TheOOZE.TV. He’s capturing life itself when he photographs various subcultures across the USA and other countries, and David says it’s a great excuse to interact with people, as the photographer (David) and the subject work together to create the image.

Images of some of David’s photos from the Coney Island freak show lead Spencer and David into a discussion on diversity. David says diversity can be difficult for people to embrace. It’s human nature to fear the unknown and what we don’t understand or can’t relate to. And yet he is reaching out to experience diversity himself, and also to share that experience, quoting, “the sum of a person’s experience will determine their vision.” “Experiencing different people and cultures extends my vision.”

For a photographer, perspective and point of view are critical. David suggests that there are two parts to the creative conversation: between artist and medium and between medium and audience. He creates photographs that are meaningful to him. He hopes that they then mean something to the audience as well, but doesn’t try to force the audience response. Two questions he hopes the audience never asks of artists: “Can you tell me what this means?” and “What’s that?” David would rather ask the audience to respond to the art with their own thoughts, feelings, and interpretations.

Spencer asks how these concepts might extend from photography to the church. David sees visual arts being incorporated into his church more frequently and thinks this is a wonderful way to encounter God and worship the creator. He believes incorporating visual arts into church has enriched the conversation about life and God. When asked about art as propaganda, David’s quick retort: “It never ends well.” He says the purpose of art should not be to prove a point, but to display beauty, provoke thought, and ask questions.

How can the church encourage artists? Come alongside them and encourage them in their work, says David. Many artists struggle with feeling like they are on the fringes. Just encouraging them and incorporating their work into church life goes a long way. The church hates failure, says David. But in art, you must have the freedom to fail and then to move forward. There must be grace. And giving artists that grace will make a difference for the artists and enrich the life of the church.

Personal Reflections

Have you experienced art as a way to display beauty, provoke thought, and ask questions?

Have you ever felt “on the fringes?” How did you move forward in that situation?

Group Study Questions

How can your community experience different people and cultures to embrace diversity and extend your vision?

How can you extend grace to artists in your community, and enrich the conversation about God?

Resources

His personal website with photography.

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