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About this series
Tin Lizards is an interactive collaboration between photographer Robert LeBlanc and a select group of 10 collectors, presented by 96 Studio. The interactive photo project takes place between October 1st, 2022 and March, 2023.
Robert LeBlanc began this photographic journey by way of the routes of the Amtrak railways aiming for total 10 trips until March 2023. Shot strictly in black & white with the Leica Monochrom camera, the project will be developed over five months–a black and white collection of images that can only be created by train, taking viewers on a personal journey across the farms, plains, cities and towns of the American heartland.
Collectors play an interactive role in the process of creating this body of work, voting on-chain, for planning and executing each Amtrak trip and other project plans.
Collectors will also take part in the editorial process, weighing in on the final selection of 1/1 images for the series. All project decisions are voted on using Snapshot, a token-gated platform, for transparency and to preserve all the details of the project on the blockchain.
The Tin Lizards Ticket grants the collector four images from the collection when minted. The final collection will comprise 45 images.
A limited edition run of 15 handmade books will be created after the series is completed. Each collector will receive a signed and numbered edition. In addition to the book, collectors will receive 2 more surprise limited physical objects, designed by Robert’s creative studio.
Interview
When did you first develop the idea to this project? What does it mean to you?
I've been thinking of doing a project via Amtrak for years now, but wasn't sure exactly what would be the best way to move forward on it. Trains have always had a romance and appeal to me, and I love the overall mood. So when I started to look at this concept as a commissioned-based experience with collectors within the NFT space, the light bulb clicked.
Tell us more about your process developing this collection.
It's kind of similar to a choose-your-own-adventure book. Ten collectors will have to vote and decide as a group on where my trips will be through Amtrak. I'll be taking a total of 10 trips over the next five months. The collectors will also vote and decide with me what the final 45 images will be. I want to give collectors a better understanding of the process and hopefully give them a unique experience during the next five months.
What are one or several challenges you face when creating these works on the road?
Unexpected problems are always the biggest challenge. For example, you might have a train delay, bad weather, or whatever. I think having a plan and backup options is good if you encounter these hiccups.
You also have a background in design. How does that influence your photography?
I think it does, for sure. I notice many subtle details because of my design experience, which helps guide my eye and inspires me to look at moments differently. I'm trying to learn more about this aesthetic for the Tin Lizards project. It's been a nice feeling trying and exploring a new style of creating images.
Can you talk about what brought you into the world of NFTs?
I think it was the ability to start from scratch and try new things. I find the space exciting, allowing me to do things I couldn't normally do in the traditional world. It's been a massive shot of caffeine to my creative self.
Who are some of your favorite photographers?
Trent Parke, Alex Webb, Kikuji Kawada, Robert Frank, Eugene Richards, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Sam Abell.... I could go on and on.
Who are some of the inspirations that fuel your work?
Motion has been a big inspiration recently. I really like the thought of the train in constant motion and its role as a small world traveling with a big one. I find that idea very inspirational.
Tin Lizards is still in progress, but have you also planned a new project?
No new projects currently. Between A New America, GLORYLAND, and Tin Lizards, my current plate is packed. But I'm sure I'll have something cooking up soon. I usually can't help it.
Artist Bio
Robert LeBlanc is an art and documentary photographer. His work is marked by uncommon intensity and immediacy, the product of a career spent documenting subcultures and the raw corners of the world from a position of extreme closeness.
His projects are often the result of years worth of trust-building, and he has built a practice of finding and gaining intimate access to undiscovered and revelatory slices of life that speak with great power to a world in upheaval.
His book Unlawful Conduct, was carried in leading art bookstores around the world, including MoMA PS1 and the Frye Art Museum. His upcoming book, A New America, is a panoramic exploration of daily life and the wild fringes of a country in uncommon times.
Photographer: Robert LeBlanc
Twitter: @thebadlarry_
Instagram: @photosbyrobertleblanc
96Studio: Tin Lizards
Photos copyright Robert LeBlanc
DRAWLIGHTS | 1/1 – one post/one photographer, weekly. Off-chain and on-chain. By Peter Nitsch, lens-based artist, a member of Jenny Metaverse and lifetime Member of the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand.