Blithe Williams
“I think I started taking pictures because I wanted to become friends with live performance. You know, when you’re a kid, developing these early stages of emotion and needing to express them by gifting colorful and wildly inaccurate portraits to your parents and all their friends. For a long time, I didn’t intend to make money with my camera, and honestly, what I still love most is what made me start: the act of gifting an image, offering someone my version of them or their project, out of sincere appreciation. (Although these days, I also sincerely appreciate paying rent).
I try to work on projects I can identify with ethically and politically. Documenting and archiving can sometimes feel like a small way of supporting social struggles and communities I care about. I was introduced to the Brussels Philharmonic thanks to my punk friends, ironically. Most of my work has been in so-called ‘underground’ music environments: clubs, industrial spaces, small festivals, and grassroots venues. But my music path actually started with playing percussion in a small orchestra, so stepping back into a (not so) classical context with the concerts Barely Minimal and Supra Natural felt surprisingly warm and familiar. The diverse electronic influences in both programmes have been a really lucky coincidence; I’ve really enjoyed blending techniques I use for club photography with a more institutional setting.”