TLM10: THE LAST PEOPLE - SEAN VEGEZZI
Ever since we began ten issues ago, we have worked with photographer David Mushegain every issue to bring you a collection of some of the raddest people from all around the world. David shoots and gets to know the young kids he meets on his travels, through his friends, or just walking down the street, and we are always happy to share his discoveries with you. Our weekly postings of David’s Last People continue right here.
I first heard about Sean Vegezzi from my friend Louis Shannon. Louis is one of the most tapped-into-the-scene kids from NYC and when he mentions someone to me I usually check them out ASAP. Louis mentioned Sean to me a couple of years ago. He told me about this young artist from the city who was out and about documenting the subway tunnels and young graffiti artists, etc., etc. He told me his photos were amazing. So I asked to meet him. He said he didn’t really want to do press. So I said cool. I asked about him from time to time until this time Louis told me Sean had just released a book and that the timing was perfect. So I met Sean outside his family’s place in Tribeca. Sean works in many media such as drawing and painting and sculpture. I was focused a bit on his photos because I wanted to see his new book. And I was in luck because he brought me a copy. I Don’t Warna Grow Up was published by fourteen-nineteen, which is a cool nonprofit org that publishes and exhibits the next gen of contemporary photographers. I think you can buy the book at their site. And you should. This book is really really solid and I think there are only a thousand copies. I like Sean’s vision and I like his vibe. He takes his work very personally and I love that because to me that shows he cares. We met up to take some photos together and I found myself climbing a fence into a half-demolished building. I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous in my old age just not wanting to deal with the cops. But I think it was quite fitting for Sean to be photographed somewhere like this location. We went a little bit into the building and I could see Sean was very comfortable in his environment. His photos have a great style and so do his subjects. It just feels alive and what I love most is it’s not vicarious. So many times today I see photos of young skaters or street artists and it’s from a outside perspective. You know the vibe I’m talking about, the fashiony guy who thinks it’s cool to photograph young rockers or skaters or whatever and really just uses their image to give him as a photographer street cred, but all along he is just some bourgeois dilettante. Well Sean is not that. His subjects reflect his own lifestyle. So in my feelings he’s the real deal. And in this day and age of constantly wading through the crap, that means a lot to me. Anyway I’m curious to see what Sean does in the future and how he expresses himself through art forms outside of photography. I’m certain it will be interesting. We took this photo off the West Side Highway in downtown NYC.
More of David Mushegain’s work can be seen at DavidMushegain.com.
