Jono Rotman is a Wellington born photographer now living in NYC, who gained valuable experience photographing New Zealand's prisons and psychiatric wards, before he approached New Zealand's largest gang.
The Mighty Mongrel Mob has been around since the 60"s and today they're the largest gang in the country, with around 30 chapters across both islands. They are known to have a very brutal initiation processes and have all the trappings of an outlaw biker gang ( patches and all) but are a real deal street gang
One may ask themselves how he convinced 200 hardened gang members to sit for large format photography session - Jono explains:
"Initially I called the gang liaison officer at the NZ police and got a list of numbers of people who communicate between the gangs and the police. When I started it was to cover the gamut of NZ's gangs, but ultimately I focused on the Mongrel Mob."
Shano Rogue, 2010. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5M ` by Jono Rotman
Bung-Eye Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Greco Notorious South Island, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
"As an artist, I'm most interested in distillations of the human condition and, to me, gangs represent a set of human drives taken to an extreme. They have a certain purity. This is what I set out to explore, and it still stands true. But as the relationship evolved, the focus of the work became more complicated. It's humbling to meet people who've had an utterly different upbringing to my own, and to be welcomed. It's also an insight into the forces that have made New Zealand. These guys have played a very important role." ~ Jono Rotman
Denimz Rogue, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Toots King Country (full body), 2009. C-Type Photograph, 1.5M x 1.2Mby Jono Rotman
Breeze Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Zap Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Installation views at Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland. Photos: Tobias Kraus
This film captures perfectly life in a New Zealand gang. Well worth checking out.... And yes that is Jango Fett!
Doc on New Zealand Gangs
The Mighty Mongrel Mob has been around since the 60"s and today they're the largest gang in the country, with around 30 chapters across both islands. They are known to have a very brutal initiation processes and have all the trappings of an outlaw biker gang ( patches and all) but are a real deal street gang
One may ask themselves how he convinced 200 hardened gang members to sit for large format photography session - Jono explains:
"Initially I called the gang liaison officer at the NZ police and got a list of numbers of people who communicate between the gangs and the police. When I started it was to cover the gamut of NZ's gangs, but ultimately I focused on the Mongrel Mob."
Bung-Eye Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
“These men have committed to a creed and fought battles, sometimes to the death” ~ Jono Rotman
Greco Notorious South Island, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
"As an artist, I'm most interested in distillations of the human condition and, to me, gangs represent a set of human drives taken to an extreme. They have a certain purity. This is what I set out to explore, and it still stands true. But as the relationship evolved, the focus of the work became more complicated. It's humbling to meet people who've had an utterly different upbringing to my own, and to be welcomed. It's also an insight into the forces that have made New Zealand. These guys have played a very important role." ~ Jono Rotman
Denimz Rogue, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Toots King Country (full body), 2009. C-Type Photograph, 1.5M x 1.2Mby Jono Rotman
Breeze Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono Rotman
Zap Notorious, 2008. C-Type Photograph, 1.9M x 1.5Mby Jono RotmanInstallation views at Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland. Photos: Tobias Kraus
This film captures perfectly life in a New Zealand gang. Well worth checking out.... And yes that is Jango Fett!
Doc on New Zealand Gangs
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