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| (Above image of Mr. K's Food courtesy of TucsonCitizen.com) |
Classic American tradition is dying as our society globalizes. Brought up to embrace what once was, it has been infused into my blood to support and save the dying institutions of American society. I have always felt that losing sight of the elements that formed this society could have very detrimental effects; a complete loss of culture.
I bleed bourbon, blues, baseball, and barbecue. Having traveled across the country with my dad, I have experienced them in almost every state of the US. And being in Tucson for 4 years, it went without question to continue my quest for the ultimate exemplification of American tradition. This lifelong journey has led me at this point in time to Mr. K's Barbecue.
For this project, I want to capture and share the aspects of American barbecue culture that I feel are most important; family, tradition, history, emotion, food, music, people and love. I feel Mr K's is the perfect establishment in order to do so as it will illuminate this greater connection. The restaurant looks as old as barbecue itself and within, it houses a very personal and prideful African-American history museum, constructed by Mr. K himself.
I would love to be able to interview Mr. K and ask him many questions; racial, historical, personal; what are his motivations, where did this pride derive, what he has been through, and what does he want to share with the world and why in Tucson of all places; essentially, what barbecue means to Mr. K. I would also love to get the perspective of the two men who run the counter; why they are drawn to continuing the tradition, the passion and what they have learned from Mr. K.
I see access being a problem. The restaurant is open a majority of the week, but, I am going to have to request permission. Also, Mr. K is not around all the time, so getting a picture and an interview with the man who birthed this establishment could possibly be an issue. Other than that, I don't want to sound overconfident, but I feel my passion will drive my photography and I will be successful in capturing what I want for this project.
I bleed bourbon, blues, baseball, and barbecue. Having traveled across the country with my dad, I have experienced them in almost every state of the US. And being in Tucson for 4 years, it went without question to continue my quest for the ultimate exemplification of American tradition. This lifelong journey has led me at this point in time to Mr. K's Barbecue.
For this project, I want to capture and share the aspects of American barbecue culture that I feel are most important; family, tradition, history, emotion, food, music, people and love. I feel Mr K's is the perfect establishment in order to do so as it will illuminate this greater connection. The restaurant looks as old as barbecue itself and within, it houses a very personal and prideful African-American history museum, constructed by Mr. K himself.
I would love to be able to interview Mr. K and ask him many questions; racial, historical, personal; what are his motivations, where did this pride derive, what he has been through, and what does he want to share with the world and why in Tucson of all places; essentially, what barbecue means to Mr. K. I would also love to get the perspective of the two men who run the counter; why they are drawn to continuing the tradition, the passion and what they have learned from Mr. K.
I see access being a problem. The restaurant is open a majority of the week, but, I am going to have to request permission. Also, Mr. K is not around all the time, so getting a picture and an interview with the man who birthed this establishment could possibly be an issue. Other than that, I don't want to sound overconfident, but I feel my passion will drive my photography and I will be successful in capturing what I want for this project.
I love project number #2, and I wonder if you could open it up more to the whole place, the people that come there, do some interviews about " bourbon, blues, baseball, and barbecue"....understanding what American traditions are about through this specific place/person/food and the people that come to share it. I think #1 is a great 1-2 week assignment, not a great semester project. But maybe if you approached it differently, a sort of cook book, part memoire, part photography, in search of America through these different foods, of friendships, of ingredients, of places. You could do a great blog (Julia Childs new movie, that sort of concept), or a blurb cookbook, and all that...kind of like Like Water For Chocolate ...think about both. tell me by friday.
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