We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kim Watson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kim below.

Kim, appreciate you joining us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My father and uncle were talented artists, and I was encouraged to explore that side of myself. But it was my discovery of Gordon Parks, at a very young age that provided a profound understanding of what it meant to pursue my art on a deeper level.

He was an outstanding photographer, composer, writer, and iconic film director of Shaft and The Learning Tree, whose photographs appeared everywhere, from Vogue to Life Magazine. He had an eye for high fashion and an instinctive connection to poverty and street life, which he captured with realism and sensitivity. As a young Black kid, seeing this handsome Black man surrounded by beautiful models one minute, AND in the slums of New York City hanging with “the brothers” the next, was truly inspiring. It appealed to all of my senses.

Any relevant stories or anecdotes you can share to help us understand what he was like and why and how he influenced you?

Yes, in the 60’s Parks was shooting a big expose on the street gangs of Harlem. These were some real bad ass young guys who would scare most people away with just a look. But Parks just hung with them, revealing his authentic self without fear or judgment. They let him enter a world no one else had entered. The expose was a smash hit and the intimacy of his photographs was something I had never seen before. He gained access to his subjects as few had before him.

I didn’t fully recognize the impact he had on me until I got the book deal for TRESPASS. I had followed his example and was a musician, photographer, writer/director and now author, just like him. It’s wild. He influenced the way I would pursue my art and seek to create work that had an impact both artistically and socially.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in New York in a home where art and creativity surrounded me, and I always knew I wanted to be involved with the arts in some way. New York had plenty of opportunities to be exposed to the arts, and the schools had music and art programs that they don’t have now, so I was involved in the programs that taught music and photography. Filmmaking wasn’t a thing back then, like it is now but my photography would eventually lead me to it.

I was always writing poetry, taking pictures, and in school bands, choirs and eventually singing groups. I actually thought I would have a career in music and pursued it heavily after college.

The funny thing was that after returning to film school and working my way up the production ladder, I got my directing break in music videos. It was an incredible time and directing music videos combined my passion for writing, playing music and taking pictures. I was fortunate to have some early success directing and moved from New York to LA. This is where I’ve spent most of my adult life and where my career as a writer and visual storyteller has been based. The book and upcoming documentary, TRESPASS: Portraits of Unhoused Life, Love and Understanding, allowed me to utilize my various talents to tell an important story.

What is TRESPASS all about?
TRESPASS is a multi-platform project focused on the homeless situation in Los Angeles, and looks at the relationships and conditions of the Unhoused I encountered over the last four years. The book came out in May, and we are editing the documentary right now. I’ve been very fortunate to have had two solo exhibits of the photographs and I’ve been doing book signings around Los Angeles. I will be in New York in September at Essie Green Gallery in Harlem to exhibit some of the photos and read from the book. That’s going to be a very special experience for me.

How has the response been?
It’s been great. People who have been to the exhibits or read the book come away with a real sense of our shared humanity. Many decide to get involved through volunteering or political activism. That’s the kind of art I am interested in creating at his point in my life. My goal has been to build empathy and compassion for the Unhoused and that only comes by understanding what their struggle is all about. These are very personal images and stories that show these individuals with respect and dignity nd I appreciate the warm response the work is receiving.

What sets your work apart from others? What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential followers/fans to know about your work?
There are some wonderful artists out there and I’m constantly inspired by what they’re doing. I think my work has a level of intimacy and urgency to it. It can be jarring yet beautiful, and I hope that’s what people see… the beauty of the individuals whose pictures I take and whose stories I tell. This is the most important project I’ve undertaken and I’m pleased that so many people let me into their lives and encouraged me to reveal their world. I have a lot of love for the Unhoused community, and they have loved me back in return. For this, I am grateful.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I left college thinking I was going to make my living as a musician. I was recording and performing around the city with my own band, it was an amazing scene and there were lots of venues and clubs to perform in and build a following. The New York music scene was at its peak and filled with Jazz, Funk, Rock, Punk, and Salsa.

But, one day I was thinking hard about my future and creative journey, and I had to admit that music wasn’t where I would have the most success. I was doing ok but I had friends who would go on to win Grammy’s and when you’re in that kind of company you have to be honest with yourself. I just wasn’t as talented as them. I was fortunate that I had other talents that I could pursue, and was good at. That’s when I turned my focus to writing and directing. It was a turning point in my life.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The fact that any artist like myself has survived and continued to create something of meaning, despite the obstacles, trials and tribulations that come with taking a different path than most, is the greatest example of resilience I can think of. You can never give up. And that resilience allows me to be creative and share with the public, and companies who ask me to discuss my experience and teach their executives and employees about engaging with these important social justice issues.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kimwatsonart.net/
• Instagram: @kimwatsonart
• Facebook: Kim Mwatson
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-watson-9226505
• Twitter: @kimwatsonart
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@trespassamericaproject7580

Image Credits

All photographs by Kim Watson