JOSH CHEUSE

JOSH CHEUSE + DOT EDITIONS

Josh Cheuse (b. 1965) has lived a life shaped by music, rebellion, and creativity. Growing up amid the chaos of 1970s New York City, he was just 16 when he boldly called The Clash at Electric Ladyland Studios from his school’s payphone, asking to take their photo. That call sparked a long and dynamic career, leading to collaborations with legendary musicians and bands.

Inspired by documentary photography, Cheuse’s work carries a raw honesty. His images capture quiet moments before history is made—like baby-faced Beastie Boys holding a speaker outside one of their first concerts, unnoticed by the crowd, just on the edge of fame. Beyond photography, Cheuse has worn many creative hats, working in design and merchandising with brands like Stüssy and serving as Art Director at Sony Music for two decades. But perhaps his most defining work comes from his lifelong friendship with Joe Strummer, the legendary frontman of The Clash.

Our collaboration with Josh began in 2013, after a referral from the Mark Seliger Studio in NYC. He brought us a fragile Polaroid Polapan B/W slide film shot of Joe Strummer—an image that had sat in storage for years. He needed a reliable place to scan and preserve it, and that marked the beginning of our ongoing partnership. Since then, we’ve produced many of his prints, some of which have been sold to collectors through the Morrison Hotel Gallery.

In the spring of 2022, we had the opportunity to work with Josh on his book, Print the Myth: Joe Strummer Portraits 1981–2002. The project offers an intimate look at his decades-long collaboration with Strummer, capturing the essence of their creative bond. We scanned his film using our Heidelberg Primescan drum scanner and handled the imaging work for the book, ensuring his archives were preserved with the highest fidelity. You can check it out [here].

From developing film in his mom’s bathtub to photographing music’s biggest icons to shaping visuals at Sony Music, Josh Cheuse has built an extraordinary career. He is currently represented by the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City.