LCN Story: Photographer Brian Whar

Brian Whar works in commercial photography and as a practising artist using sound, video, photography and sculpture. Additionally, he runs creative workshops for local teenagers with the Future Hackney charity documenting social issues and change within the borough.

What new project are you introducing to your practice and why?
This month I’m exhibiting a newly developed multimedia piece at the LCN Salon 18: New Approaches in Photography at Four Corners. Also, I’ve been learning the programs Audition and Wavelab, in order to edit and create the sound I require. The piece itself is an installation using fly-posting with photography and sound displayed via a monitor. It’s the first time I’ve displayed the work in this manner.

What was the main motivation behind your application to the LCN programme?
Facilities: having Labyrinth in the same building caters for much of my photographic requirements - priceless advice, processing, printing and desert-dry sarcasm. Speaking with Lynn on technical matters has also been very helpful.

Community: it’s easy to get lost down your own creative rabbit hole, so it’s been beneficial to see others' work and even more so getting an insight into people’s creative process.

The workshops have been beneficial as well and a good experience regarding how to present work, website development and planning projects.

What is the most useful advice or tips you’ve been given on the programme so far?
Great advice, albeit indirectly, has come from the artists' talks that have taken place at Four Corners. Often a reminder, but it’s important to not forget that there’s no such thing as a genius. Work that might eventually be termed ‘great’ usually stemmed from hard graft, doubt and determination and the recent talk with Peter Kennard is a good example of that.

General support from LCN staff that been much appreciated too, especially assembling the forthcoming show at Four Corners.

What plans do you have after taking part in LCN?
New work. I’ve always struggled with balancing the creative practice with the business side of photography. I wouldn’t say I’ve found a perfect equilibrium yet. However, the course has helped me to be more organised and focussed. Plus, finding that other people struggle with this too and chatting to them about how they address it is handy and a bit like therapy.

The result of being more organised is that there’s more time to work on and plan projects whilst still earning a living with the commercial work. Sounds like common sense, but, as they say: ‘The truth can’t be taught…it must be learned.’

Also, LCN has broadened my outlook regarding the avenues of where to put my work and how to get it there. Advice on how to get funding is a key part that LCN assists with. I hope to keep in contact with the people I’ve met on the course too.