We had the opportunity to photograph Johny in Japan at the end of 2023. He shares with us what inspires him, New Year resolutions and his exciting plans for the rest of 2024.
Johny wears Enismore Sunglasses with Orange Lenses - £150
Johny wears Kingsley Sunglasses in Gold with Green Lenses - £150
I have a sign in my studio that reads, in large, bold capital letters; "SLOW DOWN". Not to get too caught up in self-help cliches, but I'd like to work a little more quietly and thoughtfully this year, and also try to live in service a bit more - make time for friends, be more present with family, call my Mum more often, lend a bigger hand in the local community...that kind of thing. I think we get caught up in the system sometimes and forget why we got into this stuff in the first place!
I love how sunglasses can hide tired eyes, and wear them often. But during winter, on these short, grey days, I sometimes look like a diva on the school run or whatever, so I really like the orange tinted Enismore glasses, that still let me hide behind them a little bit, but at least allow some eye contact and can be justified even when it's dark and cold outside. I love their shape, too; they give me Rico Tubbs Miami Vice vibes circa '86.
This last couple of years I've found a lot of funny accounts on Instagram that always cheer me up when the news makes me despair about humanity, particularly @halooaziz, @basicallybeckijo, @dnlishworld and @imjustbait . I find them not just humorous but inspirational, because they're all the things I try to embody creatively; inventive, low-tech, counter-intuitive, DIY, fresh yet familiar.
Johny wears Elvaston Sunglasses with Brown Lenses - £150
I have a four part documentary series I wrote and presented about my childhood memories of late 80s Japan coming out this month (starts Jan 16th) on BBC Radio 4 called 'The Failure of the Future'. Then I'll be designing my own course for a semester at the University of Bern in Switzerland, while a group show I curated about Working Class Photographers called 'After The End of History' tours the UK as part of the Hayward Touring Gallery.
Johny wears Enismore Sunglasses with Orange Lenses - £150
You can find Johny via his website:
www.johnypitts.com or on Instagram: @johnymodern