JESSIE KOON

James Mack Koon was born in 1915. He lived in Tacoma, Washington with his wife and three sons. He was an insurance agent during the day, but after work, he spent time taking photos of his family and developing film in his basement darkroom.

James Mack Koon was my grandfather. My family home has boxes upon boxes of Mack’s negatives, prints and camera equipment. Mack passed away when I was three, so I never had the opportunity to know him well. Looking back through his photographs reveals to me the people and moments he cherished. He captured people living life and inspired me to do the same.

For the last couple of years I have been using Mack’s Canon A-1 camera. Now, I am curating images taken by Mack and myself. These sixteen images show quintessential moments of family, friends, childhood and the obscurely beautiful moments we experience. These photographs speak to a need of documenting our lives. With the use of color film, black and white film and colorized images, the sense of time is blurred, bridging the generations of two photographers.

Exhibited in Seattle University's 2016 BFA Photography show.