Boogie: Bleak Street Lifes

28 Jan 2008 Category: Features, Photography, Worldwide

Boogie: Bleak Street Lifes

"This whole life is a bunch of choices you make and they just made a couple of wrong ones," says photographer Boogie about his series on junkies in Brooklyn. © Boogie

Serbian photographer Boogie grew up in the war-torn region of former Yugoslavia, documenting protests and the disturbing portraits of skinheads. After moving from Belgrade to Brooklyn in 1998, he started observing New York’s bleak street side of life with monochrome shots. Distinctively, his work isn’t emphatic. He doesn’t judge. He is more reporting on a not so distant universe with a fine eye for detail - and a lot of guts. He showed PingMag his depiction of Brooklyn gang life and junkies.

Written by Verena

From Boogie’s “Gangs” series: Kind of intimidating demonstration of power. © Boogie

When did you start documenting your neighbourhood?

I started taking pictures in 1993. My country was falling apart: We were under UN economic sanctions, and people were starving and selling everything from their homes to survive… I had some money, so I started buying vintage cameras at flea markets. I liked the way they looked. Then one day, my dad bought me a real camera that was actually capable of taking pictures - and I was hooked. Also, since my dad and my grandfather were both amateur photographers, in a way, photography was part of my life from an early age.

Boogie explains: “This is a warning sign for a snitch put up by Latin Kings gang; I heard they later killed the guy.” From the “Gangs” series. © Boogie

What drove you in the beginning, curiosity? Or just the weird things that happen next door…

I think the real reason was to preserve my sanity because of all the madness around me…

Why did you choose to portrait gangs and junkies? They are so obvious in such defined areas?

I’m not sure why. I started working on these two projects by accident, since you can’t really decide to take on a project like that. I mean, you can but chances are slim that you’ll do anything…

Queensbridge Projects, another tough neighbourhood. From the “Gangs” series. © Boogie

Boogie says: “A gangster showing the tools of his trade - a gun and dime bags (street value $10 each) of CRACK COCAINE.” From the “Gangs” series. © Boogie

How long did you spend time with the gangs, like a couple of months?

The whole project took me 2,5 to 3 years to complete.

Now, how did you approach the gangs? Was it maybe easier being a foreigner?

I first started taking pictures of drug addicts. Then I got sick of it - looking at people shooting up dope and smoking crack on a day to day basis is heavy - and so I decided to go to the nearby public housing projects and try to take pictures of gangs… I just went there and walked around as a white guy with a camera in a black/Puerto Rican neighbourhood. And, of course, I didn’t have to look long before the gang guys approached me. I think that being a foreigner might have helped. At least, I didn’t sound like anyone they hate.

Kids are part of it too, part I - from the “Gangs” series. © Boogie

Kids are part of it too, part II… A crack junkie’s home, from the “Drugs” series. © Boogie

Very true. Which gang members exactly did you meet?

Most of the guys in my pictures are BLOODS, although I also met some LATIN KINGS and CRIPS; neighbourhoods, where I shot most of my photos were Bedford Stuyvesant and Bushwick, both Brooklyn.

Can you tell us a bit about the group dynamics inside a gang?

There is a strict hierarchy, and if you give respect, you get it back.

What was your most memorable incident with them?

I was very lucky there were no incidents. But danger was always present.

From the “Drugs” series - Boogies says: “It is some kind of an old military mask, no idea where she got it…” © Boogie

Were you never frightened?

Of course I was scared! Whenever my gut instinct told me to leave, I would take off… In situation like these there are no rules, and the most important tool you got is the gut instinct. Bad things can happen at any moment.

For sure. When looking through your series, there are two pictures I want to know more about with people on roof tops, observing… [see below]

About the photo with the police officer on the rooftop [below right] - it’s called VERTICAL PATROL. Meaning, cops are patrolling rooftops and hallways of public housing buildings, searching for drug dealers. In the public housing projects, you are not allowed to go to the rooftop, because people used to be thrown off of them… The other one is a gangster on the lookout for cops [below left].


Two sides in the air: Patrolling gangster… © Boogie

… and patrolling police from above. © Boogie

About the crack junkies: These images are pretty tough! How did you get so close?

Same thing like with gangsters: I was just walking around the neighbourhood, bumped into a group of homeless people in an abandoned parking lot and asked them to take some pictures… They wouldn’t let me and probably thought I was a cop. But one of them - Christine, 50 years old, who spent seven years in prison on drug charges - told me to go ahead, no problem. We started talking, I went back the next day and we became sort of friends. A couple of weeks later she introduced me to her friends, and two of them asked me to take pictures of them smoking crack. Then again, one thing led to another, smoking crack, shooting up dope, crack houses - all pretty surreal and out of the limit of normal people.

Point of view from outside - Boogie recalls: “She’s a mother of three, addicted to heroin and crack. Her children are now in foster care, they were taken from her because of her drug use…” © Boogie

And view from the inside, with a different person. From the “Drugs” series. © Boogie

But how come they let you document so much?

They liked me and I never judged them. Because who am I to judge anyone? That junkie, or a gangster, it could’ve been me and you. This whole life is a bunch of choices you make and they just made a couple of wrong ones.
It came to the point where I would just go to their houses, hang out, and they were doing whatever they would do, had I not been there. It’s the moment every photographer lives for - when you become a fly on the wall…

Seedy home. From the “Drugs” series. © Boogie

Did you have to pay them?

No. I would buy pizza and donuts for the kids many times cause they are the ones who suffer the most.

Coming from a war-torn region of former Yugoslavia at that time - I’m sure that must somehow affect the way you perceive New York: the gangs, the crime and all. Am I right?

I mean, the way you grow up influences everything in your life, that’s pretty normal, not just for me but for everyone…


Boogie. Nice gun pattern on the hoodie, by the way. © Boogie

True. Though I guess you experienced far more drastic things then many… Thank you very much, Boogie!

Exhibition info:
Boogie’s exhibition at Colette Paris just ended, but from March he will be shown at Galerie Olivier Robert, again in Paris.

The book:
The latest Boogie limited photo edition is published by powerHouse Books. Have a glimpse inside here.

27 Comments

  1. Woah…that’s some gutsy pics
    Harsh reality shown right in your face

    Posted by: Mariya Marie on January 28th, 2008 at 11:37 pm

  2. [...] Link to Interview | Link to Artist Website [...]

    Posted by: Nerdcore Shortcuts » Boogie: Bleak Street Lifes on January 28th, 2008 at 11:56 pm

  3. love this series, definitely gonna be checking out more of his work.

    Posted by: jet on January 29th, 2008 at 4:56 am

  4. wow, powerful stuff- like it

    Posted by: kate on January 29th, 2008 at 8:17 am

  5. I knew his photos before and I loved them – still do. I always wondered how he can come this close to the people to take pictures like this. Thanks for the interview!

    ps: I didn’t know he looks so cute ;-)

    Posted by: Frau K on January 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am

  6. Awesome

    Posted by: Tom on January 29th, 2008 at 11:09 am

  7. Get the book, fantastic. I have it and gave another as a gift.

    Posted by: Ronnie on January 29th, 2008 at 12:54 pm

  8. Very interesting and excellent pictures.

    Posted by: Adriana on January 29th, 2008 at 4:50 pm

  9. some harsh realities there, but sometimes we need to see the grittier side of life to understand what we have and who we are.

    Posted by: dendoo on January 29th, 2008 at 8:27 pm

  10. [...] PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Boogie: Bleak … (tags: photography) [...]

    Posted by: Designerd – links for 2008-01-29 on January 29th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

  11. Very very nice, like his pictures very much! It almost looks like some of the pictures has been set up - such a good capturing!

    Especially the picture with the baby in the sink is scary! Urgh…

    Posted by: Chris Halsted on January 30th, 2008 at 2:16 am

  12. [...] Az interjút megtaláljátok itt. [...]

    Posted by: mashKULTURE - Sneakers, Fashion, Trends, Shops, Art, Design, Music, and more… » Boogie interjú @ PingMag on January 30th, 2008 at 6:23 am

  13. [...] Check out some of his photos along with the interview here. [...]

    Posted by: mashKULTURE - Sneakers, Fashion, Trends, Shops, Art, Design, Music, and more… » Boogie Interview @ PingMag on January 30th, 2008 at 6:35 am

  14. I have always been a fan of boogies work. I have been addicted to tinyvices.com for a lonnng time. Tim Barbar really drew me imto boogies work. Man i have to tell you you are doing one hell of a job. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Posted by: Ashley Webber on January 31st, 2008 at 5:31 am

  15. Ive never seen Boogie’s work until I caught a sample on Global Grind. Im digging it. Their the real deal.

    Posted by: Anthony on January 31st, 2008 at 7:27 am

  16. respect to you sir.

    Posted by: digs86 on February 1st, 2008 at 5:45 am

  17. [...] man has two recent interviews you may want to check out. PingMag talks about his photos of Brooklyn gang and street life, while XLR8R asks about his new self-titled [...]

    Posted by: www.on-point.be - vic&lloyd say: go! on February 1st, 2008 at 11:03 pm

  18. [...] Pingmag interviewed Serbian photographer Boogie recently. Read it here. [...]

    Posted by: Daily Dose » Blog Archive » Boogie Interview @ Pingmag on February 3rd, 2008 at 9:49 am

  19. [...] Seite der Stadt mit seiner Kamera. Nie geschönt, immer ehrlich. Beim PingMag gibt es ein sehr lesenswertes Interview mit dem Fotografen. “I think that being a foreigner might have helped. At least, I didn’t [...]

    Posted by: Boogie, Fotograf on February 8th, 2008 at 10:20 pm

  20. [...] It’s a nice in-depth read and also they present a strong selection of his works. Read it here. « nike sb: brian [...]

    Posted by: boogie interview at pingmag.jp « vantage. on May 19th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

  21. [...] It’s a nice in-depth read and also they present a strong selection of his works. Read it here. « barcelona: breadandbutter exhibition. sang bleu#2 all we got is us [...]

    Posted by: boogie interview at pingmag.jp « vantage. on May 19th, 2008 at 10:01 pm

  22. [...] pingmag.jp 2008 01 28 boogie-bleak-street-life-photography « DJ Shadow: The Outsider » Sleevage » Album Cover Blog. Music, Art, Design. [...]

    Posted by: PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Boogie: Bleak Street no desviarte on July 17th, 2008 at 10:32 pm

  23. amazing work.
    nice interview as well.

    Posted by: veetz on July 27th, 2008 at 3:23 am

  24. [...] pingmag.jp [...]

    Posted by: Fotos pandillas y junkies on September 21st, 2008 at 2:29 am

  25. [...] September 29, 2008 · No Comments came across this interview on pingmag: [...]

    Posted by: boogie’s photography « The Sound of the Noising Machine on September 30th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

  26. [...] Boogie: Bleak Street Life Boogie is a Serbian photographer now based in Brooklyn. I found this article online this week and it really grabbed my attention. The photos are very compelling if not disturbing. It’s definitely another example of portraying the gritty reality that is the streets of New York and lower class America. I will warn you some of the images are a bit disturbing (drug use etc) but they are done in a way that is genuine and positive (strangely). I was drawn to the photos and I wanted to share them, I hope that you get something out of it. His story is interesting as well, check it out, http://pingmag.jp/2008/01/28/boogie-bleak-street-life-photography/ [...]

    Posted by: Word on the Street - Frontside » Blog Archive » Word On The Street - Volume 120 on November 3rd, 2008 at 2:10 pm

  27. [...] New York Times has a recent article and there’s another good interview at PingMag. [...]

    Posted by: TheRealMurphy » Friday Inspiration – Boogie on September 18th, 2009 at 11:02 pm

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