Jake Dockins: Bull Riders
Jake Dockins (b. 1996) is an American artist who lives and works in Texas. Jake’s work has been included in exhibitions at institutions such as Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (Gimpo, South Korea), 500X Gallery (Dallas, TX), Colorado Photographic Arts Center (Denver, CO), and Houston Center for Photography (Houston, TX). In 2019, a portfolio of Jake’s work received the second-place prize at the Society for Photographic Education South Central Portfolio Throwdown. His most recent publication, Bull Riders, will be self-published and released in February of 2020. Jake is currently pursuing his BFA at the University of North Texas and is expected to graduate in the Spring of 2020.
RR: Hey Jake. Could you start off by telling us about yourself and your photographic background.
JD: Hey Raul. I am an artist living and working in Denton, Texas. I’m interested in using the aesthetics of documentary photography to explore narratives about identity and human experience. More recently I have been working with ideas about photography’s ability to construct alternate perceptions of reality and photography’s relationship to the internet. Though my work typically takes the form of photography, I have also been working with video lately. I am currently pursuing a BFA in Photography at the University of North Texas and will be graduating this May. Also, I have a new photobook titled Bull Riders which will be releasing this February.
RR: Could you talk a little bit about your artistic process. How do you approach your photography?
JD: My artistic process consists of a lot of initial experimentation. I try to do my best to follow intuition and stay open-minded during the actual act of making photographs and approach what I’m drawn to in that particular moment. More of the critical thinking and editing process typically comes much later for me. Once I have a large number of images to look at, I can start finding connections and try to make sense of the work. Keeping these two processes separate has helped me so much in making new work lately.
RR: What was it about Bull Riders and their culture that intrigued you to pursue this project?
JD: My initial attraction to bull riders and the rodeo probably stems from my background. Growing up in a rural town, I have always been near this rodeo subculture but never was a part of it. I had earlier ambitions for a project taking portraits of young men involved in various sports. This idea sort of merged with my curiosity with the rodeo. As I began to make photographs, I found myself repeatedly being drawn to making photographs of bull riders. There is so much drama, tension, and danger involved in bull riding. I eventually realized that I was interested in the idea of photographing the way masculinity functioned within a historically hyper-masculine sport. I became obsessed with looking at the way bull riders situate themselves in a state between confidence and fear.
RR: What are some of the things you came away with after taking the bull riders photograph? How did they respond to having their portraits taken?
JD: After approaching many bull riders I began to notice moments of vulnerability that sort of contrasted the expected macho, male presentation of many rodeo participants. I realized that after asking if I can take a photograph, a handful of them would present themselves to me in an overly confident way that seemed to cover up any of the human emotions they might have been feeling at the time. Many of the men seemed genuinely surprised as to why I would want to take their photograph. I like to think that I was giving them a sense of importance and a confidence boost. I think that most of them liked the attention of the camera, whether they would admit it or not. I will say that there were a couple of participants that went on to win the rodeo that night directly after I had chosen to photograph them. That may or may not have had anything to do with me haha.
RR: Do you see this work in a way as a deconstruction of masculinity?
JD: That is a thoughtful way of describing the work. I like to think that it can function this way. I became very interested in examining the more sensitive sides to these men that are not always necessarily presented. I wanted for these photographs to open up larger thoughts about the tendencies of traditional masculine norms and the environments that these behaviors are cultivated in.
RR: How was it for you to enter a community you are not a part of but have wanted to investigate photographically?
JD: Honestly, it was extremely intimidating and draining initially. As an introvert, approaching strangers is terrifying, even more so in a community that I am very much not a part of. The project itself gave me an excuse to interact with people I never would have approached otherwise. Every night I went out to the rodeo with goals in mind to approach 15 or so people whether they agreed for me to take photos or not. The more I returned to the rodeo, the more I found that returning participants would recognize me which helped others become more comfortable with me around and photographing them.
RR: Can you talk a bit about the photobook you are creating for Bull Riders?
JD: Of course! The photobook is in the form of a tabloid newspaper with an edition of one hundred copies. The book is formatted at 14 x 11 inches with 36 pages and will be officially released on February 3rd. You can currently support the production of the book by pre-ordering a copy on my website. Pre-orders will be limited to fifty copies, which will each be numbered and signed. Copies of the book will also soon be available for purchase through my friends here at Deep Red Press.
RR: Awesome! Were happy to have your book up in the store pretty soon. Any other things in the works?
JD: My good friend Bradley Kendrick and I will be having a two-person exhibition in Denton this spring where I’ll be showing the Bull Riders work along with some fantastic work he’s been making. I am also in the process of making new work which I can’t really talk about too much just yet as it is still in the works. It involves photoshop manipulation and still life. Hopefully it will be leading to a new book down the not so far road. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
RR: Thanks Jake!
JD: Thanks for having me, Raul!