In Good Company: Alex Maier
An ongoing series of short interviews with artists that we work with or admire called “In Good Company.” Answers are lightly edited for length and clarity.
We are pleased to highlight Alex Maier, a musician and photographer, who has a dedicated Instagram following and is best known for his dark and moody shots of Chicago’s architecture and lively streets. A pulse in the Chicago contemporary art scene with his sleek style, Maier was approached by DeGroot Fine Art for a corporate client commission opportunity to artfully capture the neighborhoods Old Town, Lincoln Park, Near North, and Pilsen.
Where do you currently reside: Chicago, IL
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Degrees: B.A. History
Favorite Chicago Scene: Visual scene: standing on Madison and LaSalle looking south in the middle of the day is a perfect view. Social scene: the early 2000s music scene in Chicago was unbeatable. The Vic, Metro, Double Door (RIP)- so many great shows.
Favorite Chicago Food: Bari Meatball Sub (spicy) - best sandwich in the city
Favorite Model of Car: 2001 Mercedes E55 Wagon - 20 years old and still a beautiful car - fast, utilitarian, and bomb-proof
Pandemic Binge Show of Choice: I haven't been binging shows but have been binging on movies and going through directors’ filmography in chronological order. I am currently finishing David Fincher's career. “The Game” is criminally underrated.
Can you describe your photography style?
Dark documentarian. I want to capture the beauty in the ordinary moments and streets— the places we have all walked past a thousand times but never stop to observe.
Photography is a tool to record or capture detail, what do you try to get your audiences to notice?
My hope is that people recognize the ordinary beauty in the buildings and streets they pass every day. There is much beauty in the world if we stop and observe for a moment: the way the light reflects off of the lagoon, the murals set against a gravel road, and the buildings that act as mirrors to each other. All of these things can be admired and appreciated if you stop and look.
Can you describe your photographic intuition, or process, as you worked to capture these specific neighborhoods?
My goal was to find small moments that encapsulated the neighborhood. There is a 'feel' to each part of the city and my hope is that I was able to accurately portray what it feels like to be in that neighborhood.
Are there any notable stories behind any of the photographs that were selected?
These were all captured at the beginning of the pandemic so there were hardly any pedestrians out and most of the businesses were closed. Normally I would let the people of the neighborhood guide my eye but in this circumstance I let the light show me where to look. What does the sun highlight in the middle of the day? At sunset? I was constantly looking to the sun to show me what was important.
Who are some other photographers or artists whose work has been inspiring to you as of late?
There are many artists I take inspiration from. Guitarist, Mateus Asato, is incredibly talented. [As mentioned at the start of the interview] I love watching the progression of a film director and a director of photography work together over their careers. As for photography inspiration, I always come back to Saul Leiter's color work.
What moments are you most excited to capture after the pandemic is over?
I can't wait to capture joy again. I want to see families meeting up for dinner after work. I want to see people on first dates. I want to see crowded bars with a line to get in. Each neighborhood has its own energy fueled by the nightlife/hospitality scene. I miss that energy and magic that you can feel when walking throughout the city.
Alex Maier