An Advantageous Conversation with Dustin Ha

Courtesy of Artist

Dustin Ha is an LA-born Korean-American who was raised in El Salvador leaving him with three fragmented identities, always the outsider. But it wasn’t drugs nor the spiritual cult Dustin joined that gave him purpose, it’s his camera where his singular focus melts away his Sisyphean anxiety. Dustin confronts his demons through his meticulous photography practice that celebrates the misfit in all of us through juxtaposition and unusual formats.

I had the pleasure of asking Dustin about his upcoming exhibit, why he picked up a camera and so much more.

UZOMAH:  What is something important you have learned through capturing photos that have made you a better artist in how see the world around you?

DUSTIN:  Owning a camera does not make you a professional photographer just like owning a sports car doesn’t make you a racecar driver. As a newbie with no renown to speak of, I did not have access to models willing to pose for me. But with the right point-of-view, I found that I could transform a random person off the street or a friend into my own top model. Taking pictures of normal people without perfect cheekbones and jawlines taught me to notice and highlight the beautiful features that may not be obvious at first glance. Therefore, I fall in love with each one of my subjects and seek out the beauty in everyday moments. And with this little hack, my life has become more fulfilling.

Balance 37 X 49 inches

U:  With your most recent exhibit, Remember Why You're Here, at the Helen J Gallery, how did you prepare for this exhibit? Is remember why you’re here a concept you have had for a long time?

D:  I am big on vibes and how a photograph affects me. My instinct is to go for the works on the extreme end of the spectrum, whether that’s joy or sorrow. Neutral emotions don’t interest me. The “Remember Why You’re Here” photoshoots were scheduled during a dark emotional period for me, and you can see that in the end result. But within the despair are glimmers of hope that I brought into the rest of my process of printing, folding, and then framing my work. That process required testing various mediums before settling on a canvas that I could fold and sculpt to create something more than just a photo print. I have been experimenting with this method for some time, and if the end result doesn’t evoke a vibe, I would start over. Helen J Gallery with its clean lines is the ideal setting for my unusual and frenetic art.

Freedom, 26 X 36 inches

U:   What is the best thing about being an artist?

D:   The freedom to create is what draws me to the profession. I am by no means a mentally stable person who can thrive in a 9-5 in a cubicle under fluorescent lights. But when I have a camera in my hand, obsessing over which images tickle the cockles of my heart, or altering the contours of one of my photo prints, I become the best version of myself. The most rewarding aspect of it is the feelings my work can provoke in people who absorb what I created. These moments remind me that I’m not alone in the world.

Hear No Evil, 28 X 42 inches

U:   What does the Sisphyean anxiety mean to you, and how does art allow you to deal with such symptoms of this type of anxiety?

D:  I have read that those who experienced depression in a past life are destined to experience anxiety in the next life. Every morning I wake up to a wave of anxiety with a side of coffee. I spend the rest of the day pushing the boulder back up the mountain to find peace just to rinse and repeat the next day. This has been my burden that I have learned to tame through my photography. I get lost in the work and forget to feel like the walls are closing in on me. The anxiety is still there like a dark passenger that shuts up for a second, and in some ways makes me a better artist.

U:   How did taking photography become a form of therapy?

D:   Photography forces you to live in the moment. The second I pick up a camera and look through the viewfinder, it stops being about me. My subject becomes my sole focus. Throw in all the technical aspects of photography and there is no time to get lost in my own nonsense. As a photographer, you train your eyes to find things that are beautiful, captivating, or terrifying. And when you get it right, it is all of the above. Whenever I walk down the street with a camera in my hand, I am in photographer mode, which means I am not looking at my phone or obsessing over toxic thoughts that lead me astray.

U:   Born in LA as a Korean-American but raised in El Salvador, can you describe how those different cultures have similarities and how each has impacted your work and how you see the world?

D:   In El Salvador at 6 years old, my teacher was explaining the different countries in Asia and one of the kids said something to the effect of “All Asian people look the same.” Moments later, another child complained that everyone assumed she was Mexican in the United States. Early on, I knew that stereotypes are nothing but ignorant generalizations that I have strived to transcend. The world has never been more connected and yet these cultures exist in their own bubbles. My fragmented identities of Korean, American, and El Salvadorian all inform my personality and work. The images from “Remember Why You’re Here” are all trapped inside the frame, trying to break out of those neat little boxes. 

Day Dreaming 31 X 38 inches

U:   What is your dream photography project?

D:  My parents didn’t give me much of a choice when they uprooted me to El Salvador at 5 years old. But that experience showed me the larger world. Travel is a big motivator and I hope my work can take me far beyond my current photography practice in Los Angeles. I am fascinated by the contrast between the haves and have-nots that I hope to one day juxtapose to dispel with the notion of rich VS poor, good VS evil. This dream photography project will bridge class and cultural divides to demonstrate we are all the same and not to fear the “other”, speaking from the perspective of one such “other”.

All I need is me 26 X 36.5 inches

U:   Why is creating art such a motivating force in your life?

D:  I learned the power of art from a young age during family trips to museums and galleries. Like most kids, I found these visits tedious and would rush through to get it over with. But then I saw my first painting that stopped me dead in my tracks. This work stirred the darker feelings that were already present in my head and created a sense of peace in me. Now I make work for the younger restless version of myself who hasn’t figured out how to tame the noise yet. Plus creating art gives me a chance to unload this dark energy into something positive rather than self-destructive.

U:  What made you pick up a camera?

D: The lockdown during Covid made us all do crazy things like experimenting with sourdough bread. But I chose to deep dive into documentaries with subjects ranging from quantum mechanics to cautionary tales about retirement homes. Somewhere in my endless Netflix cue, I fell down the rabbit hole of street photography documentaries. In addition to longing for life outside, films like “See Know Evil” about iconoclast Davide Sorrenti opened my eyes to the world of photography. I graduated from documentaries to how-to YouTube videos on photography, which became my own online art school. I bought my first camera, stepped outside like a mole man seeing light for the first time, and became who I was meant to be: a shutterbug.

For more information about Dustin’s artwork, please visit his site. Dustin’s debut exhibit will be shown on February 10 at Helen J Gallery in Hollywood.