“Bare Knuckle Brotherhood” is a project documenting my local boxing gym, Savannah Combat Club, and the fighters who train there. The series exhibits the fighting, but more importantly it showcases the ‘in between’ moments of tender comradery. They trade bloody noses, and then sustain each other with water after rounds of sparring. My images highlight the bizarre juxtaposition between the frenetic dance inside the ring and the nurturing outside it.
My camera was how I made sense of martial arts. I started photographing the gym shortly after beginning to learn the sport myself. I was drawn to boxing for its solitary nature, but I have learned that it is truly about trust. Boxing is brutal at times – and sharing that experience so closely with each other is quite the opposite – it is gentle and full of care. I am inspired by this dichotomy. There is a tacit agreement between the pair in the ring; punch hard and take hard punches. It is intense, but worthwhile.
This body of work has evolved over a year. I documented amateurs in training to be pro fighters. I photographed them warming up, gearing up, and sweating. I have held my camera in one hand and their gloves in the other. I have seen them grow as teammates, friends, and brothers. But mostly, I have photographed them trusting each other with their lives.
