Brian Finke
Untitled (Backyard Fights no. 130)
2018

Name: Untitled (Backyard Fights no. 130)
Brand: Brian Finke
Price: 5000 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Untitled (Backyard Fights no. 130), 2018 “You fight it out. And then, after that, you hug it out, and you become friends. You know, you become closer, brothers, family. …” For five years, photographer Brian Finke documented StreetBeefs, an underground fight club in rural Virginia founded by an ex-con named Scarface. Tired of seeing his community ravaged by preventable violence and drug-use, and fueled by the distrust and failure of the prison system, Scarface began hosting fights, inviting anyone anywhere to come resolve disputes with their fists, not guns. Thousands of fights later, The Yard has grown into a cult destination and supportive community. It’s a positive space not only for conflict-resolution, but also an outlet for recovering addicts and ex-convicts, amateur fighters, the young and bored—or anyone needing to relieve stress by punching someone in the face. In Backyard Fights, Finke captures the personalities, drama, and grit, dancing between the use of his signature hyper-realistic style and a softness that captures the unsuspected grace of each moment. From the monograph Backyard Fights published by Hat & Beard Press, released Fall 2022. Signed, numbered, and dated (archival label, verso) Digital Pigment Print 40 x 40 in, Edition of 5 30 x 30 in, Edition of 7 20 x 20 in, Edition of 9 • Photographs are printed by hand upon order. Please allow two weeks for production.

Creator:

Brian Finke (1976, American)

Creation Year:

2018

Dimensions:

Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)

Medium:

C Print

Movement & Style:

Contemporary

Period:

2010-

Condition:

Gallery Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1558211045762

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Shop All Brian Finke

Brian Finke

Photographer Brian Finke's work is a visual culture commentary that focuses on authenticity and the absurdity of everyday life as well as the range of human behavior. A stylized documentarian and trained photojournalist, Finke’s honesty and intimacy in capturing subjects strikes at the core of contemporary life, with a uniquely American point of context and graphic sensibility.

Often by way of boundary-pushing subject matter, Finke challenges viewers to confront what is often right in front of them, with an almost surreal understanding of immediacy, time and place. From street photography to commercial portraiture to fashion editorials, his immersion in culture-at-large creates imagery deeply tied to the political and emotional undertones of the modern world.

A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Finke received a BFA in photography. He is the author of several books, and his first monograph, 2-4-6-8: American Cheerleaders and Football Players (Umbrage Editions, 2003), was named one of the best photography books by American Photo magazine.

Earlier in his career, Finke was one of 12 artists nominated for the International Center for Photography’s annual Infinity Award, and he won a prestigious New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship. His work is in nine museum collections in the U.S. and abroad, and he regularly shoots for editorial clients like National Geographic, the New Yorker, and the New York Times as well as commercial clients, including Delta Airlines, Uber Eats and Budweiser.

In addition to photographing his long-term personal projects, Finke is a guest teacher in photography at the International Center for Photography in Manhattan, the New School, Red Hook Labs in Brooklyn and FotoFilmic in Vancouver. A native Texan, he lives in Brooklyn and is passionate about travel, tattoos, barbecue and biking.

Find Brian Finke's color photography, landscape photography and more on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Brian Finke Studio)