Wednesday, August 12, 2015

RIP Ian Jones



Authorities have confirmed that a body found in the Hudson River upstate on Monday is that of Ian Jones, a model and photographer who lived in the East Village.

Jones, 32, went missing following a kayak accident on Saturday morning. The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office considers his death an accidental drowning, per a media advisory.

According to published reports, Jones and his girlfriend, Tali Lennox, were on the river near Staatsburg, N.Y., when their kayak overturned. Passengers in a passing boat were able to rescue Lennox.

The Daily Mail reported that the couple had been staying at Locusts-on-Hudson, an estate owned by André Balazs.

As a photographer, Jones worked on a project titled "Street Kids," which "casts a photographic lens on the street-kid culture of the East Village."

Here's more about that project:

It began as a collaborative effort between Jones and Grey Magazine’s editor-in-chief Valentina Martin. Both were fascinated by the hardcore resiliency and youthful vibrancy of the “unknown” youth of Tompkins Square. Agreeing from the start that neither one of them would profit, they developed Street Kids with the intention to philanthropically support the kids using fashion photography as a medium. Offering $200 in cash to the kids for one day of photographing, Jones began the process of casting the subjects that would make up his photographs...

You can find some of the photos here and here.

Someone today placed candles, flowers and flyers outside his apartment building on East Seventh Street and Avenue A.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live on 7th street and saw him occasionally. Sad. To die at 32? RIP young man.

Dave - Everywhere said...

Dumb, dumb, dumb. Kayaking in the Hudson River without a lifevest. To die at 32 for a stupid thing like this is worse than tragic. I'm not insensitive but this is a stupid waste of a life.

Anonymous said...

Young people in love are fearless. Yes, Ian looked like a sensitive, kind gentleman, gone way too soon. At least he has the comfort in knowing that Tali was saved. Very tragic. RIP Ian. And hang in there Tali. Very very sad and senseless. And it seems he was a decent photographer as well.