The NickyDigital Interview with Mark Michaelson

NickyDigital might love the nightlife, but he’s also got a more cultured side — gallery shows have booze, too, people. Here Mark Michaelson, a New York based artist, talks with us about his new show, currently up at Steven Kasher gallery, and book, both titled *Least Wanted: A Century of American Mugshots*. A collection of found mug shots, the show and book highlight Michaelson’s interest in and collection of found artwork. Since we’re also in the business of documenting the comings and going of criminals, er, people today, we thought it would be cool to talk with Mark about how his show came together and pair it with Nicky’s photos of the opening.

1) What drew you to collecting mug shots and how did you start building your collection?
I ran across my first mug shot in 1997. My friend Ron had been collecting odd and unusual historical relics. The Dewey Defeats Truman newspaper, teacups from the Hindenburg, a twisted piece of metal from the plane that hit the Empire State Building, Wrong-Way Corrigan’s drivers license. He was finding amazing things. For my birthday he gave me an authentic Patty Hearst wanted poster. It was the perfect gift for me. It reproduced Patty Hearst’s mug shot. I loved it. Soon after I found an actual mug shot (pictured above) — it was gorgeous. A double view photo of a man from Minneapolis, 1930s, attached to a card which was housed in a manila sleeve, typewritten, rubber-stamped and stapled – “a closed mouth negro probably committing burglaries” — it was an amazing object. A ready-made. Vernacular and Pop. All of my fetishes combined. Before long I was completely obsessed and the collection started to grow. My idea was to avoid anyone famous or particularly violent or scary. Mug shots of famous gangsters and celebrities were popular with collectors but I was interested in something else. I was drawn to the small-timers, the least wanted. Over time I accumulated an enormous cast of characters. They are transvestites and communists. Hop-heads and pimps. Heart-breaking and hilarious. And they had to be real photographs. In an increasingly digital world, the hard-copy original is an endangered species. As these records are meant to be destroyed, it’s rare that they slip out into circulation. And the good ones are hard to find.

2) What has your best mug shot find been?
One of my all-favorites was also one of the first mug shots in my collection, a woman named Franis Snider (pictured above), dope fiend and thief. 1893. An amazing portrait of beautiful, blurry girl. On the back it said in handwriting, ‘girlfriend of cousin of John Wesley Hardin,’ the famous old west gunfighter. About a year later, from a completely different source, i ran across the boyfriend, Charles Hardin, horse thief, 1893. An amazing portrait right out of central casting, and a perfect matching pair to Frances.

3) In putting together the show currently hanging, how did you choose which images to use? Which one is your particular favorite and are there any that you were crushed to leave out or to part with once they were purchased?
I got a deal to produce a book of the mug shots tied to the show. The book could contain about 300 photos so the edit for the book became the edit of the show. I tried to show a spectrum of things that represented the range of the collection. The book and show are arranged chronologically.

I started by pulling about 2,500 selects (from the collection of over 10,000) and gradually boiled it down to about 500 that I had scanned for the book. The actual design and production of the book happened in a wild 9-day marathon at the publisher Stiedl’s office in Gottingen, Germany. Finally I had it down to 300. There are some that really sting when they sell, but i have them beautifully reproduced in the book so I don’t feel so bad.

I have so many personal favorites, all for different reasons. Just like people. I particularly like the boys from Denver in the early 50s (selection pictured above). They are the most ‘Warhol.’ and I love the Bertillon cards –great portraits with fantastic typography.

4) Are there any other forms of found art that really inspire you?
I love all forms of found art – crazy about street art and graffiti, love the Hong Kong vinyl, Kid Robot thing, comic art and illustration, anything crazy. Shout out to the endless love crew!

5) In seeing the show, I kept expecting someone to recognize a relative or friend — have you had anyone make any shocking discoveries?
No, but I think its only a matter of time. On my flickr page, a few people have taken it upon themselves to research the backgrounds of some of my subjects. Part of the beauty of the collection is that you can pick any point and dig as deep as you want.

6) Could you tell us about any other projects you currently have in the works?
In addition to collecting the originals, I am very interested in using the mug shots as subject matter in art and graphic design. I have done the book with Steidl and it came out great, I want to make more book projects. I have also enlarged several portraits for a series of prints that also on view at the gallery.

7) Do you think that in the years to come nightlife photos might function as the same type of time capsule as some of your mug shots do?
No question. People love to take pictures when they are having fun. Remember right after 9/11 when people were making all those missing posters for their loved ones? Most all of them used pictures of the people at parties, weddings — having fun. So surreal.

8) You’re no stranger to nightlife, so we hear. What were your favorite points in NYC nightlife — who did you roll with and what was a typical night out?
I was lucky to be young in New York at a real exciting time. I saw CBGB, Mudd Club, Studio 54, Peppermint Lounge, Roxy, Area, Max’s [Kansas City], on and on. I don’t remember a thing.

Additional Links:
Mark Michaelson’s Flickr page
NickyDigital’s coverage of the gallery opening