Brian Finke
Untitled (John McAfee no. 5)
2012

Name: Untitled (John McAfee no. 5)
Brand: Brian Finke
Price: 4000 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Untitled (John McAfee no. 5), 2012 I was shooting for my U.S. Marshals book when I got the call from the photography director at Wired Magazine for an assignment to photograph John McAfee in Belize, where he had been living for the past 10 years. There, he was accused of manufacturing drugs and creating a small police force in his village town that bordered with Mexico. I got on a plane and headed to his compound on the coast outside Belize City, which seemed mostly accessible by boat. Upon exiting the motorboat taxi, I was met by armed guards who led me inside. It was nighttime at this point, but John wanted to meet me before the next day’s shoot—I’m pretty positive he wanted to size me up. I guess I passed whatever test, so much so he told me that I was king for the day—that whatever I wanted to do for our shoot, he was there to make it happen. I was told that John had played Russian roulette for the story’s writer, Joshua Davis, while reporting the piece. When I returned the following day, I asked John about that experience, and he agreed we should start with that shot. He got his handgun, and we headed to his backyard. It was still early, with morning light coming through the trees, when he raised the gun to his head and stared directly into the camera. His ego was huge, and I was feeding it. I could see his tattoos peeking through the edge of his shirt, and I basically said, “It would look a lot cooler if you took your shirt off, you’ll look badass in the photos”—and he did. That portrait became the opener for the story. He left his shirt off for the day. He brought his whole crew over that day—girlfriends, guns, hanging out poolside, and everyone came and went. When I got back to NYC, just two days later, I received a call from my photo editor saying John McAfee had been accused of killing his neighbor and was on the run. He was arrested a few weeks later in Guatemala. The man was fearless and had a huge ego—and I mean that in the best way possible, and he was the best subject I have ever had. Signed, numbered, and dated (archival label, verso) Digital Pigment Print 30 x 30 in, edition of 4 20 x 20 in, edition of 9 15 x 15 in, edition of 20 Please note that prices increase as editions sell. • Photographs are printed by hand upon order. Please allow two weeks for production.

Creator:

Brian Finke (1976, American)

Creation Year:

2012

Dimensions:

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

Medium:

C Print,Digital Pigment

Movement & Style:

Contemporary

Period:

2010-

Condition:

Gallery Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU155828673202

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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)