When this podcast was launched in 2017, the mission was to feature Houston and its artists in all their beautiful, energetic, and sometimes complicated glory. No one embodies Houston’s dynamic artistic culture better than Ben DeSoto, the subject of directors Michael Witnes Zapata and Andrew Benavides’ latest documentary Ben DeSoto: For Art’s Sake. During this Hispanic Heritage Month, it seems only fitting to bring you the story of a latino Houston legend like DeSoto who captured fellow icons in the midst of an underground music revolution.
In this episode, director Michael Witnes Zapata and Claudia discuss the unlikely origin of the documentary, the impact DeSoto’s work has on Houston history, the stories behind some of our local iconic venues, being a part of the Houston Latinx community, and advocating for Houston’s underground culture.
About BEN DESOTO: FOR ART’S SAKE
Directors Michael Witnes Zapata and Andrew Benavides bring you the incredible story of local legend Ben DeSoto, a Houston photographer who worked as a photojournalist for the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Post for 30 years. Throughout the eighties and nineties, he documented the rise of the Houston underground punk and hip-hop scenes as well as the evolution of our city’s culture through his camera lens.
A special thanks to Michael Witnes Zapata’s team, GIVERNY Lab, and Houston Cinema Arts Society for making this interview possible.
Listen to the interview:
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