S2 E6 A Rabbit Catcher, A Ballad Singer, and A Photographer with Justin Partyka Part I

Justin Partyka's life story sounds like a web of coincidences that place him in front of people or circumstances that relate to him via another path as well. A practicing photographer, Justin was trained as a folklorist and has a deep passion for and understanding of music.

A remarkable multi-volume book of William Eggleston's Democratic Forrest published by Steidl is Justin's object of desire. As we listen to him describing the ritual of immersing himself in Eggleston's photographs, we come to appreciate the singularity of photography as a medium of expression and its closeness to poetry.

Partyka’s photographs have been exhibited widely including at Tate Britain, London; the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich; the Museum of English Rural Life, Reading; and the Boutographies photo festival in Montpellier, France. Publications include Granta magazine, the Guardian weekend magazine, and Source magazine. Also the limited edition books, Field Work and Not Exactly Nature Writing, and a commissioned series of photographs for a reissue of the classic book of oral history Fenwomen.

Part of Justin's work is available to view on Instagram @161poitiers