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Hilton Als is a man with an enviable string of achievements and accolades to his name. Having begun his career as a writer for The New Yorker and The Village Voice in the mid ‘90s, he has gone on to add Pulitzer Prize-winning theatre critic, author, professor and art curator to his brimming portfolio. He is also a keen social documentarian — as evidenced by his excellent Instagram account, @hilton.als. The feed serves as a visual diary of friendly encounters, chance meetings and moments of note in the life of the 58-year-old New Yorker. Subjects range from Als’ family and friends — like director Kenneth Lonergan, writer Tavi Gevinson (an @hilton.als regular) and gallerists Victoria and Warren Miro — to the food he eats and the films and TV shows he watches, all captured with candour in Polaroid format.
All of Als’ posts are catalogued with his distinct curatorial eye. Each photograph holds a message that becomes part of a wider, critical narrative; whether challenging toxic masculinity or discussing racial stereotyping in the film industry, they perform a duty beyond their aesthetic value. The captions note the date and location the image was taken, as well as names of those present within it, resulting in a highly accessible archive of memories. “Recalling, for me, is a great way of living, so not to forget,” the writer told Interview Magazine in 2013. Indeed, he often reposts an image from days, weeks or months before — with no fear of boring his audience — just for the sake of reliving a moment.
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Unlike the majority of his digital counterparts, who edit their feeds with a view to projecting a certain image of themselves and their lives, Als’ lives his truth through blurry snapshots, awkward angles and a palpable lust for life. No notable styling or contrivances are at play; his instant snapshots offer his view of the world as he operates within it.
Next week, Als will join Charlie Porter at Tate Modern to discuss his latest book “White Girls”, which has finally arrived in Europe following its 2013 release in the US. In celebration of the occasion, and the uniquely spirited and personal way in which Als’ uses Instagram, we present some of our favourite images from his feed for your #FF inspiration.
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