UGround Kills Off - Limited Edition of 20 Photograph

It was the sheer rawness and intensity that got me. Limbs and bodies flailing in a trance-like state, immersed in a moment where time seemed suspended. I’m not sure if it was fate, but after seeing David LaChapelle’s Rize, I knew that I had found my kind of culture. Krump emerged in 2000 in the streets of South Central Los Angeles, cultivated by young African-Americans who were looking for an alternative to the oppressive gang culture. It also had strong ties to faith, with some dancers using Krump as a form of praise and worship. Whatever the motivation, Krump provided a release and, as the culture developed, so too did its dance foundations, music, dress code and vernacular. In Melbourne, Australia, Krump surfaced in 2005 in the streets of Dandenong, within a predominately Polynesian community. Perhaps it was the ties to Church, or an affinity with African American culture, or simply the newness and freshness of this artform that attracted these young Pacific Islanders. Whatever it was, the movement quickly spread, straddling cultural groups and religious beliefs. I first became involved with the Melbourne Krump community in 2007. Starting out as a Krumper first, my role shifted to solely focus on documenting the dance and lives of the Krumpers through photography and video. Giclee print on Canson Photographique Rag. Contact for framing options.