Color 9.4 Buy This Issue Now

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Some artists choose to specialize, while others opt for a broader depth in their discipline. Jai Tanju’s take on photography is a melting of the two. Start with his self-published book, With a Camera from Marc—a collection of photos taken with a camera gifted to him by Marc Johnson. Here, the world of skateboarding is melded with everyday moments and rendered in B&W But now, King Hamburger Eyes, an arm of the established and well-respected Burger World Media Group, has just released a ‘zine called Its History Now that shows a different side to Mr. Tanju’s work. Its History Now contains photos shot in 2010 that, unlike the Marc Johnson camera material, have a warm golden feel, like taking a walking tour of the underside of California. You might pass discarded people of the state’s social welfare system and mental institutions on one page and then a flea market full of the junk of life on another. The idea is to show us moments both familiar and alien. Skate scenes and other daily activities are given importance by their mere existence, captured with a simple honesty that only film can truly portray.