JONATHAN CHERRY: What was the last thing to inspire you and why?

BOGDAN MESESAN: The last thing that actually had a deep impact over my concept regarding photography was the work of Anders Peteresen. Since I saw his work, a few days ago, I realized that I really need to take a closer look to my work, and to analyze myself and the path I want to walk more seriously. It’s the same feeling that I had when I saw Nan Goldin’s work. That I really need to take a minute or more with myself and think a lot about what I really want to do.

JC: How did you come up with the ideas for ‘New id’?

BM: The idea of the series came after I read an article over the internet that stigmatized Romanians. The first thing Romanians who choose to live in other countries, especially in the western Europe, have to fight with is the stigmatization of being thieves. Not every romanian who chooses to work and live in another country is a thief, or murderer. Actually the statistics speak quite clear. For example, in Germany, among all the criminal records that they have in year 2008, romanians that were crime suspects are 0.7% from total of 2.255.693 crime suspects.

New Id - the title - is because the series is a proposal for replacing the photo that we, the romanians have on our passports - so we can help the local police identify more easy the crime suspects. And on the other hand, the same way that stockings deformed the face, the media deformed reality.

JC: Did the ideas develop during the actual making of the images?

BM: Actually the whole process of taking the images was quite short - it took me about 30 minutes to take them. And at that time, the whole concept of the project was quite clear in my head.

JC: Are you pleased with the final photographs? If so, why?

BM: I’m quite pleased - but I’m sorry for not making a self portrait in the same manner - with stokings on my face.

JC: What has 2010 got in store for you?

BM: I have a few projects that I’m working on, and hope to get more ideas popping in.

JC: What equipment do you use and how does it benefit your practice?

BM: I’m using all kind of cameras - from pinhole camera with which I made my “Daily Routine” series, to some semi-professional cameras and lenses that I can afford. I shoot exclusively on film, and I prefer black and white. It’s not about the camera, or film or sensor, anyways, I thing photography is more about the idea that stands in the back of the image, it’s about the message that delivers.

JC: Any advice to recent photography graduates?

BM: I’m not in the position to give advices, but I think that being yourself, and trying to improve your work to get more accurate in giving your personal message, your own touch to the world, trough the camera, is a path that won’t mislead. No matter what kind of photography each one of us is making.