Ruth Medjber
Ruth's work has been published by magazines such as Rolling Stone and NME and exhibited worldwide. Her portfolio includes portraits of Grace Jones, Hozier, Metallica and the Foo Fighters. Most recently, she documented Arcade of Fire on their tour as well as covering the Glastonbury Festival for the BBC.
In 2020, during the global pandemic Medjber focused her attention on a new subject and photographed 150 households. Resulting in a book being published called ‘Twilight Together’ which has sold over 12,000 copies to date.
Arcade Fire. Photo credit: Ruth Medjber
Why do you love photography so much?
Photography is simply magic. It’s a beautiful combination of physics, art, and nostalgia. You can literally freeze a moment in time, and I’ve been fascinated with that concept since I was about 3 years old.
What are you favourite subjects to take photographs of?
People. People on stage (musicians), people in my studio, people in the street. I’m always drawn to people.
Any top tips for taking a good portrait?
The best way to take a good portrait is by getting to know the person first. If I have an hour with someone in my studio, I’ll spend at least 40 minutes chatting to them before taking one photo.
For someone who might want to make a career out of taking photographs, what are your top do’s and don’ts?
• Do: Get to know your camera inside and out. Photograph as much as you can, every day.
• Don’t: Be too hard on yourself or expect your career to take off immediately. A good, longstanding career takes years (if not decades) to build.
Do you have a motto for your work?
“Make it fun”
What kind of submissions are you most looking forward to seeing this year?
I’d love to see a full range of genres of photography. From landscapes to portraits, abstract art to documentary.
Kendrick Lamar. Photo credit: Ruth Medjber
Is it hard to "judge" art. What will you be looking out for?
I’m looking for meaning, emotion, purpose. If I come away from viewing your work, feeling something that I wasn’t feeling before, that’s good art.
Any tips for writing an artists' statement?
Talk to yourself about your own work. Say it out loud when you’re home alone. Really try to define what it is you’re doing and why you’re doing it. I like to avoid using big, posh “arty” words. I don’t speak like that normally. I find just using my own, conversational voice works best for me and my audience.
When did you realise art was something you wanted to pursue?
I was probably about 13 years of age. I was photographing suds in the sink that had mixed with my hair dye. I was trying to see meaning in the random swirling colours, going down the drain.
Do you think people are 'born' artists, or is it something they have to discover?
I think some people are definitely born artists, but there’s others (like me) who have to tease it out of themselves, spending years training and reaching inside to get to any decent level.
What is art?
A physical representation of another’s emotion.
Holly Pereira. Photo credit: Ruth Medjber
Any top tips for people who might find they are blocked - when inspiration just won't come to them?
Stop trying. Go and be bored for a while. My best ideas come to me when I’m idle and bored. So go for a 5-hour hike without your phone and spend some time with your thoughts. Or sit on the beach and watch the waves for a while. Turn off your screens, close the books and cancel on your friends. Lock yourself in your room and get bored.
Any advice for young artists who might think their work is "no good”?
An awful lot of people openly say that my work is “no good” but I still do it. I do it for me. I do it because it makes ME happy. I actively enjoy making work. My art doesn’t always sell, sometimes it flops, and I have to make my living doing other things, but that’s OK too. Take the pressure off yourself and make art fun again.
Hozier. Photo credit: Ruth Medjber
The theme of this year's TIA! competition is "This Is Inspiration". What does 'inspiration' mean to you? Is there a light bulb moment?
Yes! There are lots of light bulbs going off in my head. Some days. I could be walking in the park, scrolling Insta, or visiting a gallery and an idea will form.
The idea might have to sit in my brain for weeks or even years for it to find meaning, but there’s an initial spark.
What other artists inspire you?
I have a long list of photographers who inspire me, some famous ones in massive galleries and some just on Instagram. They may not directly inspire ideas in me, but they could inspire me to work harder or to have more confidence. I look up to a lot of artists with utter amazement. Sophie Calle is someone who I’d love to just hang out with and be in her world.