HER AIM IS TRUE

Article by Sherehe Hollins

HER AIM IS TRUE, a documentary film by Karen Whitehead, tells the story of legendary rock and roll photographer, Jini Dellaccio, a woman, whose willingness to capture unconventional images captivated generations of musicians, who like Dellaccio, refused to conform to the rules of their craft.  Dellaccio, considered an innovator of her time, was a trailblazer for being both female in a male dominated industry, and for composing photographs that carried a unique air of refined beauty combined with a raw eclectic edge. Dellacio’s love for music inspired photographic works of art that spanned more than five decades, celebrating the musical journeys of world-class artists including The Rolling Stones, The Sonics, The Who, Neil Young, and Mamas and Papas.

Dellaccio’s photography reveals the masterful artistry of a woman – who in her middle age – became a self-taught photographer. Driven by her newfound passion for living behind the lens, and documenting her love for garage band music, Dellaccio shined light upon the evolution of rock music. She chronicled punk, indie rock, and grunge before these musical categories existed. Her iconic images set the stage for underground artists to be seen in an innovative light, that like the musicians she photographed, embodied a sense of individuality and originality.

In the film, Steve Lalor of the band Daily Flash affirmed, “If you wanted your shots to look different you went to Jini Dellaccio because everybody else did it exactly the same way.” Dellaccio’s unique artistic perspective was shaped by her life as a saxophonist turned painter turned photographer. Her interplay of the art forms she loved fueled the inspiration behind her photographic trajectory. In the film, Dellaccio boldly states, “I see photographs as music. I look at a photograph kind of the same way you listen to music. And if it’s off a little bit you fix it. And if you don’t fix it it’s going to be rock and roll!”

Independent filmmaker and producer, Karen Whitehead, was compelled to tell the story of a woman whose works of art, in many ways, have been lost to generations who are unaware of the woman behind timeless iconic rock images and album covers. HER AIM IS TRUE made its San Diego premiere at the Museum of Photographic Arts’ Joan and Irwin Jacobs Theatre on May 7, 2015. MOPA’s Film Programs and Digital Media Coordinator, Paolo Zuñiga, shared that the Museum of Photographic Arts, “presents visual stories” that incite meaningful dialogue, through “highlighting unique films that really haven’t been presented.”

The mission of the Museum of Photographic Arts is to, “inspire, educate and engage the broadest possible audience through the presentation, collection and preservation of photography, film and video.” The screening of HER AIM IS TRUE mirrors MOPA’s mission statement by showcasing the story of a woman who, like countless other creative visionaries of their time, dared to be unique, courageous, tenacious and different.

For more information on HER AIM IS TRUE, visit: http://heraimistruemovie.com

For more information on MOPA, visit: http://www.mopa.org