Josue Cuyun

Delacreme Scholar Spotlight: Class of 2020

By Bragard Kizenga

Josue Cuyun is a Latinx photographer from the northwest side of Chicago documenting life and what motivates it around him.

When did you start doing photography?

I started shooting a camera since I was able to pick one up whether it was going on a trip to Mexico with my grandma and shooting the ranch to waiting hours early to get a spot at a venue to shoot my favorite artists. Currently, I’m learning all the rules and techniques of Analog Photography. 

How did you find the scholarship? 

Being in the Chicago Art scene, I was able to find the Delacreme scholarship through artists sharing the application through social media.

How would you describe your photography style?

Life. I like to shoot what captures my eye whether it’s my family talking about dinner or a couple watching their baby experience a new feeling. Just snapping that memory is the style I want to keep. I am documenting life. 

What have you found that you enjoy the most on your photography journey? 

Learning and understanding why artists and photographers respect the ones who came before, and the experiences these people have gone through help me in my career to know what I want to achieve and how to get that photo. My favorite photographers are Gordon Parks, Jamel Shabazz, and Jonathan Mannion.

What is your preferred medium to show your work? From a gallery to a book. How would you want your work shown?

I would love to have several books published on different journeys of my work. Whether it’s the city or all the concerts I’ve shot, I want the readers to represent me in that time and also to have a gallery would be a dream to show all the wonderful creatives I’ve worked with in the past.

What advice would you give to future Delacreme scholars?

If you’re unsure if you should start calling yourself an artist, the best way to know you’re a “one” is if you wake up and you can’t stop thinking about creating and how you would do it for free even if they pay you, then you are an artist.