Divine Reflections: From God Inc. I to God Inc. II
Welcome to this edition of [book spotlight]. Today, we uncover the layers of 'God Inc. I & God Inc. II,' by Carl De Keyzer . We'd love to read your comments below about these insights and ideas behind the artist's work.
"God, Inc." by Carl De Keyzer is a two-part photographic exploration of religion's role in American life, spanning over thirty years. Initially, in 1990, De Keyzer traveled across the U.S., documenting the diverse and pervasive religious practices and their deep integration into American culture. He was struck by the widespread and intense nature of religious expression, despite churches operating without government support.
Three decades later, in "God, Inc II," he revisits the landscape amid changes such as the decline in traditional church attendance and the rise of new religious movements appealing to younger generations. This second journey, set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, reveals adaptative practices like drive-in churches and highlights the enduring presence of religion in American society, despite its evolving forms. De Keyzer’s work offers a reflective look at the shifting religious dynamics in the U.S., marked by continuity and change.
In our latest feature, we delve into the profound journey of Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer as he revisits the heartland of American religiosity in "God Inc. I & II," thirty years after his initial expedition. Through a compelling interview, De Keyzer shares the inspiration behind his decades-long quest to document the evolution of faith and spirituality in the United States. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the digital age of live-streamed sermons, this piece explores the significant shifts in the landscape of American religion, observed through the lens of a photographer fascinated by systems of power and their societal manifestations. Join us as we uncover the challenges, changes, and insights De Keyzer encountered in capturing the deeply personal and ever-evolving American religious experience, offering a unique window into the soul of a nation's faith journey.
Start with Photography: Can you describe the initial inspiration behind your journey to document the American religious experience in the "God Inc." series?
In 1989 (actually on Nov 9th, 1989, the day the Berlin Wall fell), I published a book called Homo Sovieticus about the so-called workers' paradise, the Soviet Union. This day marked the end of the Cold War. So there was a winner, and that was clearly the West, and in particular the USA. It was also an ideological war between Christianity and atheism (communism). For me, the next subject had to be religion in the US because they clearly claimed victory. I had to go and see how this looked like in reality. I started God Inc. II because it looked like religion had gone to the next level in propaganda, fake news, political involvement, Trump years… Visually, I thought there would be enough possibilities to make a sequel 30 years later. This time in color and dramatic but different. My whole oeuvre has been about photographing systems of power, with religion as one of the main subjects (besides colonialism, communism, politics, war).
Comparative Analysis: Having revisited the subject 30 years apart, what were the most significant changes you observed in the American religious landscape through your lens?
First, there was less statistical religiosity than before (74 vs. 85 according to some sources), so not so insignificant. Other clear changes were the much higher professionalism in almost all churches. More megachurches, more personal initiatives (like the new cowboy churches). Vast expansion of real ‘American’ churches like Scientology (now in every major city) and the Mormons. It looked like it was easier to rent a space, self-teach yourself to be a preacher, rent a band, and start a church. On all levels. Also, all churches were live streaming the services, were very present online, and on social media. In 1990, everything was still analogue.
Emotional and Intensive Experiences: During your travels, you contemplated why Americans experience religion so intensely and emotionally. What insights or conclusions have you drawn from your observations?
The main conclusion is that religion, believing in a god, is an absolute condition for just about anything. The idea that God might not exist is unthinkable for almost all Americans, similar to what I witnessed in many Eastern and Muslim countries. In most of Europe, you don’t need to believe if you apply for a job, have a business, or even want to go into politics. One other problem was that every single church or religion tried to convert me. They really needed me to say that I saw the light again, was reborn, or saved by Jesus. That was often even a condition to make pictures. So during my first God Inc., I prayed on my knees, sang in the choir, raised my hands in the air, read the Bible in public. Not so with God Inc. II.
Techniques and Adaptation: Over the 30 years between "God Inc. I" and "God Inc. II," how have changes in photographic technology influenced your approach to documenting subjects, and what tips can you offer for blending traditional and modern photographic techniques?
God Inc. I was made with a Makina Plaubel 6x7 medium format camera. I used two Metz flashes to get closer to the sixties photographic style seen in Life magazine. Photographing without flash was not possible because of the 400 ISO limit. People were more used to it then. With digital, you can photograph everything, whatever the light conditions. Flash did give me a recognizable style, similar in every picture. With available light, it’s harder to achieve that. On the other hand, every image is usable. That was not the case with analogue. Sometimes a flash did not go off, a film was not well processed, or the image was out of focus. Also, only 10 (6x7) or 4 (panoramic) images on one roll. A lot was missed changing film. With God Inc. II, flash was out of limits (live streaming as one of the reasons). Luckily, digital had moved up so I could use 6400 ISO indoors. All shot with Fuji GFX50S and GFX100S. In 1990 it was not possible to shoot in color and process it yourself. Now with digital, you can color, contrast correct your images, and print them yourself on any paper you want. The labs in the nineties were expensive and not always very consistent (at least in Belgium), so color was no option. I’m not nostalgic, so going back to the analogue days (I also had my own darkroom for 30 years…) is not an option. For God Inc. I, I shot 1200 rolls of film, processed on the camping table every day. It took me 6 months to make contact sheets and 500 small prints. Now, this processing time has been reduced. Coming back from a digital trip, you can practically open your show the week after.
Photographic Challenges: What were some of the challenges you faced while capturing these deeply personal and emotional religious experiences in both series?
For God Inc. I, I found a book at the American embassy in Brussels with all the listed churches in the US (3,700, not paying taxes). I chose 600 that sounded interesting on paper and sent these a polite letter. I received hundreds of Bibles, video cassettes, leaflets, books, vinyl records from hundreds of churches. They were all very inviting; I based my first trip on these documents. Research was made by reading newspapers and making thousands of camping payphone calls. The trip was made in a 1972 Winnebago camper with a VW Golf diesel towed behind. So very analogue and old school.
For God Inc. II, things had changed a lot. GPS, mobile phone, email, internet, Airbnb, Google. Still, it was more difficult to reach people. While earlier almost everyone answered my letter and the phone, now nobody did. No email, messenger, or phone were answered. The only way to reach the churches was to go there one hour before the service and talk to the pastor.
One problem was similar in both projects. The fact that I had only one or two chances every week to make a decent picture I could use for the book. Another problem was distance. I could find many interesting events, churches all over the US, but these were only reachable using airplanes all the time. Too expensive.
With God Inc. II, for the second trip, we arrived on Feb 28th, 2020, in Galveston for the carnival. A week later, COVID happened. All my appointments, events, interesting places fell in the water. Luckily, the US is so religious that soon drive-in churches, open-air confessions, and desert churches started to happen.
Evolution of Work: How has your approach to photography and storytelling evolved from "God Inc. I" to "God Inc. II"? What have you learned about yourself as an artist and observer in the process?
There are 30 years in between, so obviously, things have changed. When doing God Inc. I, I did not realize that documenting systems of power would become my main focus. With God Inc. II, I knew that this sequel would fit in quite well. I have always adapted my technical approach to every new project. For Homo Sovieticus, I tried to copy the style of Pravda (propaganda) photographer; for God Inc. I, I tried to go back to the days of Life magazine because the images received sort of a ‘past’ treatment referring to the first days of fireball bleaching and traveling evangelists. For my Congo book, I looked at colonial postcards and for ZONA project, I tried to use as many typical Soviet colors as possible (green, blue).
My look on reality has always been one of amazement, wonder, or even a ‘wtf’. This has not changed. The world has gone even crazier than before. So more than enough subjects for photographers to cover. A pity is that documentary photography (although I can’t complain about my presence in the art world) is becoming very difficult to sustain. I have always paid for my personal projects. The budget you can assign now is too low to make something really important. That’s a shame. I have been doing this for 40 years and never had to think too much about money, perhaps I was lucky. I could always go wherever I wanted.
Future Projects: After completing the expansive journey of "God Inc. I & II," what are your plans for future projects? Are there specific themes or regions you are interested in exploring next in your photographic work?
After God Inc. II, my plan was to go to Russia to spend at least 6-9 months covering the new Russia, compared to the Russia I had known during the Soviet days. I was really looking forward to revisiting the places I had only seen from a dirty bus window, guided by KGB guides. There was a workshop planned with Russian photographers; I had found a good guide. But then COVID happened and had to postpone for at least a year. A year later, again everything was in place. Even had my ticket and visa. But 3 days before my departure, tanks began to line up on the Ukrainian border. I decided not to leave, with good reason probably. So now, I don’t know. Waiting for the war to end perhaps. Or perhaps like with the Soviet days, visit the new Russia with Intourist and tourist groups (like in North Korea).
To discover more about this intriguing body of work and how you can acquire your own copy, you can find and purchase the book here (Carl’s Website, Amazon).
Carl De Keyzer (Website, Instagram) is a distinguished Belgian photographer known for his critical and in-depth documentary work. Starting his career in 1982 as a freelance photographer while serving as a photography instructor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium, De Keyzer's unique perspective and profound interest in the works of other photographers led him to co-found and co-direct the XYZ-Photography Gallery. His recognition in the field was marked by his nomination to Magnum Photos in 1990, leading to his full membership in 1994.
De Keyzer's photographic style is characterized by an accumulative approach, utilizing large and medium formats to construct in-depth book and exhibition projects. His notable works include "Homo Sovieticus" (1989), documenting the collapse of the Soviet Union; "ZONA" (2003), an exploration of Siberian prison camps; "Trinity" (2007), a conceptual piece on the trinity of power; and "DPR Korea" (2017), providing a unique glimpse into North Korea. His seminal project, "God, Inc. I and II," offers an insightful look into religious life at the fringes of American society, captured thirty years apart in 1992 and 2020.
The central themes of De Keyzer's work revolve around systems of power and their visual representation within society. He has a particular focus on subjects like colonialism, communism, and religion, often adopting the aesthetics and styles of the systems he scrutinizes to create a nuanced and layered portrayal. De Keyzer's photography not only documents but also critically examines the societal and cultural landscapes he explores, making him one of the most profound chroniclers of our time.
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