Lane Coder was born and raised in New Canaan Connecticut. He attended Parsons School of Design in New York City where he studied fine art. He then moved to Paris, France where he began studying photography at Parsons School of Design and art history at the American University of Paris. From 1999-2000 Lane attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he continued studying photography and art history. Lane continued his photography education at the Art Center College of Design in Pasedena California where he graduated with a BFA in Photography in 2003.
Currently Lane resides in Brooklyn, New York where he has enjoyed working as a professional photographer for the past 7 years. He enjoys working as a commercial photographer while incorporating a fine art sensibility. His clients include: Vogue, Vogue Nippon, Men’s Vogue, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, V magazine, Surface, Soma, Spin, Anthropologie, Shipley & Halmos, Coca Cola and ad agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi and BBH. His work has also appeared in Vogue Russia, GQ Germany, The daily Telegraph London, Vanity Fair Italy and Germany and Nylon. Over the past 5 years Lane’s work has been included in Art + Commerce’s “Festival of Emerging Photographers” competition and gallery show (2003), W magazine’s “Behind the Lens” Competition and gallery show (2004), PDN magazine’s “30 to Watch” competition and publication (2007), The International Photography Awards competition and book (2006), Surface magazine’s “Avant Guardian” competition and publication (2007) and most recently his work in Playground, an art and fashion book was accepted into the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s permanent collection.
First thing’s first: can you briefly introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m Lane.
Who are you, where are you from, how did you get into art, what’s your favorite food?
I’m Lane Coder, I’m from Connecticut, and I got into art by drawing Star Wars battles in Kindergarten. My favorite food is Japanese.
What are you trying to say via this medium?
That I’m sensitive.
Why are you a photographer ?
Because it’s easier than painting.
What do you have planned for the future?
Just to be able to continue taking photographs.
Which band or singer are you listening to these days?
I’ve fallen in love with punk and hardcore again. I’ve been listening to the Misfits, Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Fugazi.
The last good movie you saw?
On my way to Iceland, I saw a documentary on Sigur Ros that blew my mind called Heima. I also enjoyed William Eggleston In The Real World.
Last good book you read?
William Faulkner is my great uncle and I’ve started reading some of his books such as Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom!
Which music makes you dance?
Hall & Oates.
Did you go to an art school?
Yes, three.
How would you describe or explain your work to someone who doesn’t know or understand your work?
Beautiful with an unsettling undertone and subtext.
Do you like tofu?
That’s a strange question because tofu doesn’t have a taste. It really depends on what it is seasoned with. Yes, I like tofu.
What can we expect on your next show?
Planes.
One reason you make art:
I feel compelled to.
Something you’ve always wanted to do, but have yet to:
I’ve always wanted to fly a plane due to my father being a pilot.
Favorite country or city visited:
Paris, France
A few words that sum up your philosophy on life:
I find everything beautiful and am always searching for beauty in the most unexpected places. I guess that’s why I take photographs, to document that.
Something you want the world to know about you:
What I want the world to know about me I try to say in my photographs.
Something that annoys or frustrates you about people:
Facebook.
Something that concerns you:
Facebook.
Can you talk about how you decided to work underwater? What is the inspiration behind the current exhibition at the Brooklyn Brothers Gallery?
I’ve been toying with underwater photography since I was in college, never really getting the results that I wanted. I used disposable underwater cameras and it always looked like shit. Then I came across and underwater housing for a point and shoot camera that I love and I brought it with me to Hawaii last spring. I loved the results. Some of the very first pictures I took with this camera and housing ended up in the show.
The inspiration for the show really has to do with revitalizing my career.
What was it like to shoot under water? Was this your first time shooting underwater?
It was really difficult but very poetic observing how the human body reacts in water.
Did you shoot the images in a tank or in the open water?
I shot them in pools.
What has the response been like to the work? Was it what you expected or different?
It’s been very well received and people have responded in the way I had hoped.
Do you want to continue working under water or is this is one time experiment?
I want to do a series of photos at night underwater, but I have no further plans than that.
Lane Coder currently has a show at the Brooklyn Brother’s gallery entitled “Coming Up for Air”. We had a few more questions about his latest work! You can catch the whole exhibit and even purchase your very own Lane Coder piece here:http://www.thebrooklynbrothersgallery.com/products-page/
Also check out Lane’s personal website, www.lanecoder.com, for more information on his past and upcoming work.
