A Random Moment with Ijeoma Iheanacho

Ijeoma Iheanacho, fine art photographer

I answered her casting call that was posted on SocietyHAE. We've kept each other abreast on our shutterbuggery. Last spring, her series, "Faces of the Great Recession", was a featured in the Faces of the Economy show held at the Art for Change Gallery. I finally made it to the Bronx, where she was gracious enough to grant this interview.

 

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My name is Ijeoma Iheanacho. I am a fine art photographer.

How long have you been doing photography?

I’ve been doing photography since college. Graduated high school in 1996 so… ’96 to 2012… 15 years? I’m trained as an architect, I don’t do math [laughs].

Faces Of The Economy

Faces of the Economy Opening Reception

I've been doing the artist hustle and the freelance shuffle for the past 2 years. I've accomplished a lot since I was laid off in January of 2009. But assignments weren't coming as quickly and the sale of my art wasn't as brisk as before.


A friend and I shared our pathetic financial situations recently over IM. I sat at my computer and laughed till my eyes watered. It was one of those situations where you either laugh or you go insane.


I am a face of the economy.


April 15, 2011, at Art for Change Gallery, the group exhibit, Faces of the Economy opened. It is a great collective of social art commenting on the recession, unemployment, budget cuts, foreclosures, Wall Street. Many more Americans are affected by the recession than the media reports. I'm sure anyone reading this knows someone who has been laid off, is underemployed, behind on rent, on public assistance or considering it...


I marked April 15th on the calendar, and not for tax purposes.