Meet Julian Lucas: Fine art Photographer and Photo Journalist, Purveyor Artists’ Books, Founder of Print Pomona Art Book Fair and The Pomonan and Housing Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julian Lucas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julian, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
For the last 30 years, majority of my photographic study has drawn attention to local or global issues, which is often ripe for social commentary.

As a purveyor of photo-books and zines, my bookstore, Mirrored Society has provided a platform and supported independent publishers and zine makers from all over the world.

Print Pomona Art Book Fair, I founded 2019, which is an extension of support within the photo-book world especially the community being that is new and attractive filling a void or disconnect to print or books being a part of the art.

The Pomonan is a platform I recently created which provide subjective journalism. The journal includes social topics not written about on larger media sites. I also support artists, photographers, and smaller galleries.

I’m also a recovering prison guard working within housing as a housing specialist linking homeless people to housing and services.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My photographic practice has allowed me to see the world for what it is. It has also raised eyebrows to those who didn’t understand theres more to photography than just pretty pictures of flowers and trees. My work has also brought social awareness and nostalgia.

I don’t know if anything sets me a part since photography has been around for centuries and although I have studied photography for 30 years, I’d like to say I am still learning. I do still shoot film, process and print my own work in my makeshift darkroom.

I am faced with challenges everyday. I usually like to learn about the root of the challenge to be able to overcome.

Having integrity in my work is what I would want the world to know about my brand.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well if it’s a photography and the photo-book friend, being we would probably have the same interest in regards to photography we would get out in the field to make photos probably from 2:30am until it got too bright. If we were in Pomona we would eat at Borreguitas or Just Vegana.

Since I hang with weirdos and I’m a weirdo as well I woud have to take my friend to hang out at Stories Books and Cafe with the rest of the weirdos it’s where I feel most comfortable actually.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people to credit for my success, the positive folks and negative because they have all had an impact in some way shape or form.

Website: julian-lucas.com

Instagram: @julian__lucas

Twitter: @julian__lucas

Other: mirroredsociety.com printpomonaartbookfair.net thepomonan.com