High On The Hog

Photographs from the Memphis in May International Barbecue Festival

These photographs span a 10-year period from 1987 to 1996.  They comprise one of the poles of popular culture in Memphis.  The other pole is, of course, Elvis.  The Empire of Barbecue includes, at least, the South Eastern United States and Texas.  Each region is naturally proud of its local style, but, in Memphis, Barbecue has achieved the status of religion, or, at least, cult.  This arcane practice, with its secret sauces and received wisdom, “Cook it low and cook it slow”, reaches climax in the annual cooking contest during Memphis in May.

Popular culture, in all its color, noise and vitality is everywhere apparent; though less, I think, than in the early years.  Once dominated by neighborhood teams, it now seems the province of Corporate teams.  What was once a wild three-day & night party, has become a neatly managed public relations event, and far less interesting.

Yet creativity and individual ingenuity has not completely vanished.  The often elaborately constructed cookers, a subset of the work I’ve entitled: “Swine Tech.” begin to achieve the quality of sculpture, an art in themselves.   

Lawrence Jasud