EP 025: MICHAEL HALSBAND

Image Culture

On the show today is the photographer Michael Halsband, whose work I first saw in Surf Book, a collaborative project with legendary surfer Joel Tudor examining surf culture through the people who built it. From there I began exploring his extensive body of portraits of artists and musicians from Klaus Nomi & Bernice Abbott to David Byrne & James Brown. After studying photography at SVA, Michael got the chance to photograph Keith Richards for the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, after which he joined the Stones on their 1981 Tattoo You tour. Upon returning to New York, Michael made what was to become his most famous photograph, one that I imagine many of you have seen. The 1985 portrait of Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat wearing boxing shorts and gloves, arms crossed, looking straight into camera against a clean white background. Originally created as a promotional poster for a collaborative show between the two artists, it became the iconic image of one of art’s great partnerships.

I got to sit down with have tea with Michael in the same studio where that photograph was made. You can also see my portrait of Michael in the studio at www.williamjesslaird.com/imageculture as well as on Instagram @william.jess.laird and @image.culture

This show is produced by Sarah Levine, our music is by Jack and Eliza. If you like the show help us grow by leaving us a rating and sharing it with a friend. Thanks for listening.

You can see much of Michael’s work at his website michaelhalsband.com