Fear, Desire, Drugs, and Fucking

Vice: Which artists are you interested in, in particular those who aren’t photographers?

Antoine D’Agata:

How would you describe your own work—as reportage, as art? Do you feel that photos can be an honest and effective way to convey a situation?

You’ve spoken in the past about photography not being art. What are your thoughts on photography as art? Can you explain how you see photography as opposed to art?

Do you think your work has much in common with, say, that of Nan Goldin’s?

You’ve talked before about photography as a language—do you ever feel trapped by the way in which you have communicated in the past, or do you enjoy having a unique voice?

Nan once said to me that everyone always says to her how dark your work is, but she thinks it looks like you are having a great time.

I have read you talk about “innocent images”. Do you see your own images as innocent?

So being high actively helps in creating that innocence?

I think when Nan was really high she saw and photographed the world very differently. Do you think that your work is shaped in a similar way?

As far as your own work goes, what purpose do you feel it serves? Did you have an aim in mind when you set out to work in Cambodia, for example?

What do you make of criticism of your work on the grounds that you are exploitative?

The story “Cambodian Ice Triangle” reflects some familiar aspects of your work: drugs, women and at times extremely unsettling images. To what extent is your work premeditated? Or is it more something that develops?

Your images are very intense and sometimes feel violent. Does that reflect the relationships you have with some of the people in them?