Exclusive Interview with Lisa McCord

Lisa McCord is a fine art and documentary photographer whose work deeply reflects her roots in the Arkansas Delta. Known for her evocative explorations of storytelling, memory, and time, McCord draws inspiration from her family’s cotton farm in her series Rotan Switch, which won a solo exhibition and has now been published as a book by Kehrer Verlag. We asked her a few questions about her life and work.

All About Photo: Can you give a little background about yourself and how you got started in photography? What was some of your earlier work like?

Lisa McCord: In 1974, I began taking photographs of my high school peers all wearing the same opaque mask around the grounds of our school, Cranbrook. After graduating high school, I attended New York University, where I took a photography class with Marcia Resnick. In her class, I photographed nudes and worked with text and image. I then suspended my studies to follow a deeper calling within myself, and bought a one-way ticket to Athens, Greece. Over the next few years, what unfolded was the Boyfriend Chronicles, a documentation of my experiences while seeking adventure and romance, as a way to know myself.

What drew you to documenting life on your grandparents' cotton farm at a young age for the project Rotan Switch?

I love being around others and have always been naturally drawn to photographing people. As a young girl, I took to roaming the fields at my grandparents’ farm, making photographs, and seeking new friendships. Rotan Switch didn’t begin as a project, it was simply a way for me to build community and personal relationships. It wasn’t until 1978, after I returned to art school, that I began photographing Rotan Switch, as a cohesive project.




What made you choose black and white for this project?

I was an analog photographer, I developed my own black and white film, and printed silver gelatin photographs. It was an obvious choice because that was my preferred medium. In the beginning, I also took color slides, but was drawn to the black and white images.

Which of your photographs is your favorite, and why?

I have two favorite photographs from Rotan Switch, Frances with Child and Cheryl on Bed.

Frances with Child, is a strong portrait of a mother and her child. The slow shutter speed blurred the movement of the child, and I love the placement of Frances’ hand.

Cheryl on Bed, was simply a carefree moment after Cheryl came home from school. We were hanging out on her bed and talking, as young people do. And I love seeing my own reflection in the mirror, revealing my presence.



Your best memory as a photographer?

Living in Greece as a young artist, photographing my friends and environment. It was during this time that I decided I would not be an anthropologist, but an artist.

What was the people's response to your camera?

At Rotan, I was considered “the girl with the camera”, as I carried my camera with me everywhere I went. It made people curious and started conversations that usually ended in a photograph taken.

Do they like the pictures you took of them? Were you ever censured?

All the photos were taken with their permission, and the process was joyful. The book has become a treasured keepsake for the community. There has never been any censorship or adverse response.

What was their response to the exhibitions and the book?

I recently had a photo exhibition and book signing in Osceola, Arkansas–the closest town to Rotan Switch. It was a sweet homecoming, and many people from the community came to the event. I gave books to the people that are in the book, and to relatives of people in the book that have passed away. It was well received, and it felt as if life had come full circle.




What compliment touched you the most and what do you think is your biggest accomplishment?

What touched me the most, was my friend, Sheree’s reaction. (she’s in the book) She facetimed me and said she just read the whole book, and loved it so much she was going to sleep with it.

My biggest accomplishment was completing the book, it was an intense two year process. I was thrilled when it was written up in The Guardian and the Arkansas Democratic Gazette.

What are your upcoming projects?

I want to continue writing the stories that pair with the photographs in the Boyfriend Chronicles. I experience both humor and humility in revisiting these stories of my past.

Anything else you would like to add?

Be happy, and find something that brings you joy.