Stephen Linsley hangs a sign in his darkroom reading "Seeing is forgetting."
The mantra encapsulates Linsley's approach to photography: his works are not depictions of lines and forms, but rather of something residing more deeply in his subjects. This result is achieved with the careful juxtaposition of the ethereal and the material and, through the omission of all transient elements, the works become like distillations of hidden truths. Linsley's prolonged exposures seek to discover an underlying essence in its themes and to make them directly accessible to the viewer. Linsley's fascination with photography developed at an early age. He continued taking photographs throughout his years as a musician; he was a member of the Jim Carroll Band, and produced and engineered records for bands such as Public Enemy and The Fat Boys. In 1991, after 12 years as a musician, he began to devote himself exclusively to the study and practice of photography. He currently resides and works in Los Angeles, California.