Director Brandon Tauszik was invited to show and discuss his work, Tapered Throne, at the CUT Festival. A 10 day festival bringing together international artists, East London barbers and activists to explore the history and social relevance of the barber shop.

From the CUT Festival site:

Originally from northern England, Brandon Tauszik is a documentary artist currently residing in Oakland, California.

Tauszik’s photographic work explores various subjective elements of human spirituality and community. Tauszik’s most recent works have incorporated the largely unexplored medium of GIF, forming a delicate hybrid between the still image and film. His work has received reviews from Slate, Buzzfeed, Dazed & Confused, Medium and TIME. Tauszik hopes to continue pushing the possibilities of the medium through the new forms and innovative display experiences online and in-person.

Tapered Throne

Tapered Throne is his GIF-based portrait of Oakland’s black barbers and the lesser roles they assume. He was fascinated by the comfortable racial separation these spaces foster, creating environments that are exclusive yet intimate and warm and wanted to explore what makes these spaces thrive. The slow-looping, multi-hundred frame loops echo the deliberate pace of life in barbershops across Oakland.