KM Photography

Last night, I went to the LA Film Festival and saw the film “Marwencol.”  This is an amazing story about Mark Hogancamp, a man who was badly beaten and suffered severe brain-damage, forcing him to start his life over from scratch.  Mark had to relearn how to walk and talk.  His memory of his life before the beating vanished and he truly had to start his life over again at the age of 38.

Here is Mark’s story (from the website, http://www.marwencol.com/) : After being beaten into a brain-damaging coma by five men outside a bar, Mark built a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard. Mark populated the town he dubbed “Marwencol” with dolls representing his friends and family and created life-like photographs detailing the town’s many relationships and dramas. Playing in the town and photographing the action helped Mark to recover his hand-eye coordination and deal with the psychic wounds from the attack. Through his homemade therapy, Mark was able to begin the long journey back into the “real world”, both physically and emotionally – something he continues to struggle with today.

Mark is living proof that photography can serve as therapy.  With photography, you can lose yourself in the image, in the vision that you create.  And like I always tell my kids, every photograph tells a story and for Mark, he was able to use photography to tell the story, the story of Marwencol and the lives being lived there. 

This is truly an amazing and inspirational film.  I recommend that everyone, especially those with an interest in photography, see it.  Right now it is playing the Film Festival circuit but I think it is going to be airing on PBS at some point.  Check the website, http://www.marwencol.com/ for details or I will post an update when I find out.

There is also a storybook called “Welcome to Marwencol” by Mark Hogancamp that is now available for sale in a limited edition printing. This 80 page, full-color storybook represents the first installment in the Marwencol saga, in which Captain “Hogie” Hogancamp (Mark’s alter ego) crash lands in Belgium and stumbles upon the mysterious town that will become his home.  I bought this book at the LA Film Festival and I plan on using it as a reference book, as well as a book of inspiration for my students.  This is a book created by a man who is a self-taught photographer.  As a photography teacher I am amazed by his god-given talent–he would definitely get an A in my class and I’m a tough teacher.  Books are $25 each (free shipping in the U.S.; $5 international). To purchase a copy of “Welcome to Marwencol,” go to the website http://www.marwencol.com/.  The proceeds of the book go toward helping Mark and his family.

(The photographs used in this post are from the Marwencol website, http://www.marwencol.com/ and are only being used to help promote the film and Mark’s work.)