◤ A new piece of fiction by Ben Jeans Houghton will appear in an insert in March's edition of Corridor 8; in homage to Breakthrough Fictioneers. A publication made in 1973 by Richard Kostelanetz; an anthology of work by some of the great artists and writers of the 1970s, including William Burroughs, JG Ballard, Vito, Acconci, John Baldessari, Robert Smithson and Gertrude Stein. Kostelanetz put together the publication as a challenge to the fiction writing of the day. He felt that fiction hadn’t really changed since the 19th century and that little was being done to move it forward, that the visual arts were taking writing in new directions, so invited a mixture of writers and artists to contribute to the book in the hope of change.

The insert is a contemporary take on this premise. Kostelanetz still feels the same about fiction now as he did in the 1970s. The insert will also include some of his current writing alongside fiction by a number of other Contemporary Artists and Writers.

◤ Ben Jeans Houghton has been chosen as one of the 7 featured artists for Artspotter's first multiple series, called Seven Postcards.

The limited edition of postcards focus on the theme of Exploration and Interaction. The postcards are to be showcased at the London Art Fair in January 2012.

◤ JONATHAN CHERRY: What gets you up in the morning?

BEN JEANS HOUGHTON: My body a few seconds before my alarm. The potential to chase old or new ideas and the want to create.

JC: Are there any emerging photographers inspiring you at the moment?

BJH: I feel constantly inspired by Kuba Ryniewicz, we have been friends for some years now and his output and vision is always amazing. We often take walks around the city, talk, explore and shoot. I saw a talk by Ed Atkins recently that was insightful, he is affably erudite and managed to be definitive about things I had not heard succinctly put into words. (He is a Fine Artist working in film, using a DSLR, but his work is very close to what it is to take a photograph, and wonderful)

JC: What is your current project all about?

BJH: I am on a few at present so; The formative part of childhood where your imagination can still effect your perception of reality. Research into Paranormal Photography, be that poltergeist documentation/ Auric or Kerilian Photography and especially Thoughtography/ Nensha; in relation to the audience and their investment in the image in terms of belief. Spending some time with the alchemy of the Polaroid 600se. Saying more through the things I omit from an image. The gap in perception between seeing and knowing. Passing new light through the transparency old light formed in 35mm slides into the present moment and committing them, once again, to film.

JC: What draws you to making Polaroids?

BJH: Being a Sculptor I am really interested in the physicality of a Polaroid as an object. I want to shorten the gap between seeing, making and seeing, so it makes perfect sense. I hope to play on Polaroid’s apparent validity as an immediate document of a moment/ event. The idea of photography failing to be accepted as representative or true, once any post production is involved, can limit some people’s ability toward moments of wonderment in the face of an image. I want to abate the urgency to dismiss an image as not real, especially when I am trying to communicate something ineffable that is not about proof or reality, but about the individuals’ investment in their own experience of the work.

JC: How do you find juggling personal & commercial work?

BJH: Photography, like my drawing, always felt like a personal thing that had no commercial drive or monetary function. I fell in love with photography like I fell in love with drawing; it gave me a way to be constantly engaged in a creative way with the world around me, more so to share what or how I see with others. I have never sold a photograph, although one image I made is available in exchange for hours worked volunteering at GLOBE GALLERY, and I have been told it is popular, which is lovely, time is precious. I make my living through teaching Fine Art to all ages, the odd music video and skilled labour. Everything feeds everything. I would very much like to add photography to my paid work, but being predominantly a fine artist I’m not sure I’m in the right circles to sell my skills as of yet. It’s a little frustrating because I feel I could do a lot to a brief and enjoy a challenge, so I guess I’m just waiting for that call.

JC: Any advice to recent photography graduates?

BJH: Watch, Apichatpongs Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee, who can recall his past lives’, Bela Tarr’s The Werckmeister Harmonies, Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo and Les Blank’s Burden of Dreams. Spend some time learning to let go of your technical skills on occasion. Take the time to go out for a day of shooting and deliberately don’t bring a camera, I learned allot about what really interests me enough to photograph when I had no means of making an image.

JC: Favourite tree?

BJH: Yew.