Permanent Press

I have never met the photographer of this image in person, but I have known him (Damon) for about 5 years now. We were similarly introduced to each other's works through Myspace, and there has always been a mutual appreciation of the things we create.

A few weeks ago, Damon sent me the photograph of one of his models sittin' in the laundromat reading a copy of the first issue of Kung Fu Grip! zine. I was surprised and flattered to see that the zine still meant enough to him all these years later that it would be factored in as a prop in one of his shoots.

Damon's Flickr feed contains a stunning assortment of afro-themed photographs that he's been producing over the years. I don't know much about the project itself, but the images all inspire me to want to finish something I started writing a year or two ago, which carries a similar theme.

I'm pretty sure that the copy of KFG! used in the photograph above is the same one that I sent Damon nearly half a decade ago. When I get around to printing up my newest project, I'm gonna send him a copy of it, as well as another copy of that first zine.

Knowing Damon, he'll probably still have 'em five years from now.