Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Jimenez.
Hi Juan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Juan Jimenez. I am 30 years old. I was raised in 2nd ward Houston, what is now considered to be EaDo. I was born in Monterrey Mexico. I became a professional dancer/circus artist at age 15 and spent ten years traveling and performing. I went to UH and studied Photography and digital media. I’m also an aspiring musician and songwriter. Art has been the biggest driving factor in my life. My goal have always been to create as much as possible. I’m currently still involved in all the disciplines/mediums that I started with in some way, shape, or form. I started On the Move media as a creative outlet first and foremost. With my knowledge in photography/video, I set out to create an avenue for me to be able to explore the ever-changing yet dominant form of expression we have today, Content creation. We’ve explored traditional avenues for the medium, things like portraiture photography, events, and product photography. We’ve also dabbled in today’s climate of YouTube, Instagram, tik Tok through ventures like podcasting/ reactions/ or music videos. We also plan on exploring the short film space, We are currently involved in the pre-production phase of a short film brought together by some local actors.
My involvement in many different disciplines is purposeful. I not only enjoy them but I also think they’re necessary for understanding how to properly deliver quality/enjoyable work. My goal is to be able to bring my visions to life and not be limited or caged by them. I’d like to explore what it means to document a music performance, be it mine or someone else’s, and then pivot to brand management for an established business without missing a step. I would also like to establish a charitable arm for my company in the future. Giving back to the community I come from is very important to me and the mission statement of the company. Whether it’s through actual video/photo services or seeking out artists that we can work with to help materialize their ideas. We are still in our infancy but we have a big vision.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has been both smooth and tumultuous. Like I said before, being an artist has always been my main concern and I thoroughly enjoy the totality of that process. The artistic process not only requires a certain amount of discipline and focus but it also has the added benefit of learning through troubleshooting. I’m better at my craft because of it. In that sense, it’s been smooth, mostly because I’ve enjoyed it so much that it negates the rough patches. It’s been difficult in more macro ways. Coming from where I grew up it’s very difficult to overcome some of the pitfalls. It’s been a difficult pursuit of education, if only because of the financial aspect. The things I consider difficulties are more so the things surrounding my artistic endeavors, the company being one of them, not so much the projects or the actual art. For example, towards the beginning, I had ideas that I couldn’t materialize until I had a certain amount of equipment. So many ideas sat (currently still sit) on the back burner until the equipment gets purchased. I consider that obstacle a rough/annoying hurdle. Once I was able to create without those types of obstacles, it always turned from a rough spot into a challenge. It goes from annoying to really fun.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I guess you could say that I am a renaissance man. I’m a dancer/circus artist first. Photographer/filmmaker second. Musician third. There are aspects of all of those disciplines I’m deeply proud of. As a performer, I’ve traveled the country. I’ve learned how to express myself and have helped create some awesome shows. I hope to one day explore that even further by producing shows. (currently a goal on the back burner). As a photographer, my street photography is my lovechild but my senior thesis is my pride and joy. A deep dive into the close relationship between self-destruction and self-discovery. As a musician, I have written and recorded an album. I played most of the instruments and wrote all the parts. That album is something I never thought I would be able to pull off. Performing songs I wrote brings me the joy that very little things can bring.
But overall I think my specialty is story development. Weird, I know. But in all of my disciplines, I have relied on the power of stories. The power of characters that I am interested in exploring. Through the development of a story, my second specialty seems to thrive, which can be any of the actual technical aspects of my life. It can start as a song and end as a photograph. It can start as a script and end as a contortion act for a themed show. It can start as a conversation and end in a permanent art installation.
What matters most to you?
Artistic integrity.
Over the years, like many artists, I’ve struggled with the idea of compromise. Sometimes small, like Not having the right lens for a shoot and having to resort to another less optimal one. Sometimes big, like “We would love to help you get out there but we will own your art.” Maybe it doesn’t get said that bluntly but it’s the general idea. I’m catatonically afraid of having to give up my vision for the sake of other interests. Be it money, partnerships, the bottom line. Art comes first for me and I’m willing to sacrifice a lot, but there’s a line that I won’t cross even if it comes at the expense of exposure. I rather work on the art and my vision the way I would like and have it be done the way I feel it deserves even if it means less people see it.
That’s not to say that I don’t like collaboration. Quite the opposite, some of my best work has come from collaborating. I deeply enjoy working with people. However, if it feels exploitative, I will back away.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/juan.onthemove
- Other: https://juan-jimenez.myportfolio.com/indistinct-conversations
Image Credits
Juan Jimenez
