Michael James O’Brien

door Fleur Pierets | jun 25, 2013 | Conceptual Art

Michael James O’Brien

Text JF. Pierets Photos Michael James O’Brien

When talking to some friends in Antwerp, the name Michael James O’Brien was often mentioned. One couple bought a series of his pictures, another met him in a bar in Antwerp. When searching his name online, one can only produce a shriek of recognition. That picture of fetish legend/corsetiere Mr. Pearl! Dame Edna covered in pink feathers! Our über idol Matthew Barney! Iconic pictures that we’ve known for years turned out to be by the hand of an accomplished American photographer and poet who has exceeded in the field by being showcased in the greatest publications around such as Rolling Stone, L’Uomo Vogue, the New York Times, the Financial Times and many more. Michael James O’Brien. We managed to get his email address and were able to intercept him on his way to Istanbul.

When did you knew you wanted to be a photographer and why?
I was seduced by Walker Evans (and his groundbreaking work) when I took his graduate seminar at Yale in the early 70’s. I bought a Pentax 6×7 & changed my degree from literature to photography.

You come from Ohio and travel the world, yet you are often in Antwerp.
I taught in Ohio for 2 years only but was born in NYC & lived there after Yale until I moved with my partner to Paris in 2004. Now we move around constantly.

Among other things you owned a restaurant, your work has been commissioned by a long list of magazines and you are a published poet. Do you need to do all those things in order to feel fulfilled or are you easily bored?
I like to be busy and do big projects. Writing & photography & owning a bar are all inspiring & satisfying in different ways.

You photograph celebrities as well as dragqueens and performers. You like to be divers in your subjects?
I am attracted to a wide variety of subjects like most photographers. I don’t have one subject matter or a set style.

What’s your most treasured anecdote?
What comes immediately to mind is a walk with Ursula Andress through the Opera House in Budapest in 1996 preparing shots for Matthew Barney’s Cremaster5 when Ursula began to tell me about her “great loves”. You’ll have to imagine the rest…

You worked with Matthew Barney. How did that happen?
I worked with Matthew when he was a model while he was still in college in the late 80’s. When he began his art exhibitions in NY we often met in what were once called “underground” venues, like the fetish club Jackie 60 & Matthew asked me to collaborate on Drawing Restraint 7.

The people on your pictures often look fragile. Is that something you are looking for?
I am trying to give room & time when I do portraits for the subject to find their resting place. It becomes more difficult these days with instant photography to make the time.

‘I am deeply interested in what is called the gender diaspora, in all it’s manifestations & I believe we all have the power to become what we want to be in spite of the “givens” of birth, race etc..’

When did you decide to make ‘Girlfriend: men, women and drag’?
I proposed the project to Random House in 1990 at the height of the Golden Age of NYC downtown nightlife which was often dominated by drag performers.

You seem intrigued by transformation. Why is that?
I am deeply interested in what is called the gender diaspora, in all it’s manifestations & I believe we all have the power to become what we want to be in spite of the “givens” of birth, race etc.

I read you have a fascination for freedom versus restriction. Is that a personal thing?
It’s equally personal, political & aesthetic but those are inseparable for me.

You do a lot on the subject of AIDS. Why?
I was in NYC when the epidemic hit like a tsunami. Loss was an essential part of our lives as in a war and the only response was awareness, involvement.

What’s next on your agenda?
Exhibitions in Istanbul in June & in October and preparation for shows in London & Liverpool, as well as commissioned work. And open a bar!

What’s the most important thing on your wishlist?
To work with less pressure; to re-edit my archive!

www.michaeljamesobrien.com

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 6.

Read the complete issue here.

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Et Alors? magazine. A global celebration of diversity.

Anto Christ

door Fleur Pierets | jun 25, 2012 | Conceptual Art

Anto Christ

Text JF. Pierets

Her calling card in life is to explore and to experiment with different mediums in order to create something new. Creating is her obsession and passion and she refuses to put herself in a bubble by sticking to one thing only. Next to being a designer, artist and performer, she’s also the leading lady of one of the happiest parades in the world. The Sydney Colour Parade.

On dreams
My mother taught me how to crochet when I was eight but everything started when I saw work by the The Icelandic Love Corporation. The crocheted work they did for Björk was so amazing and mind blowing that I knew what I was heading for. I believe that you can be whatever you want to be in this world as long as you do it every day. Let’s say practice makes perfect!

On inspiration
I get my inspiration from plants, insects and the ocean. The ocean is the main place I draw from. My world situates underwater, in the depths of the sea that has not yet been explored. I would like to create an entire world of fluorescent beauty and inspire future creatives to go along with their own endeavors. I want to remind the world that there are no limits.

On fashion
There’s definitely a niche market out there that would be up for some wardrobe jazz-up. Once a year I do a solo exhibition, and I have displayed in galleries in Berlin. I’ve been involved in collaborative fashion shows such as the ‘Being Born Again’ couture show in Sydney. Along with my partner in crime, Casio Ono, we have done commissioned work for a label called Emerald Couture but we’re not really into the commercial fashion industry. Our pieces take so long to assemble that it would be impossible to mass produce. Also, I see myself as more of an artist than as someone who’s working for a giant monster. But don’t get me wrong, we are always open for collaborations. If it means that fashion would be more inspiring to look at, then everyone should have a pair of pom pom gloves!

On changing movements
I can’t deny the other amazing people out there who create, evolve and constantly push their boundaries. Throughout history there have been collectives of artists who pop up simultaneously and inspire the world into evolving. It’s like they’re launching themselves into the future. Groups like Bauhaus, Dadaists and the Surrealists, they created work that’s timeless. Like I said, creativity has no boundaries and these people keep reminding us of that.

‘We created the parade to show people that you don’t need money to have a good time. It’s a reminder that the human spirit is still very optimistic, even in this day and age.’

On the colour parade
The Colour Parade is an artistic statement that celebrates creativity, self-expression and freedom. It’s an opportunity to meet like-minded characters. We created the parade to show people that you don’t need money to have a good time. It’s a reminder that the human spirit is still very optimistic, even in this day and age. For four years now we have lit up Sydney’s streets with a cacophony of colour and music. The people who are part of the parade express themselves in whatever craziness they like. They bring music makers, hoops, glitter, streamers, flowers and signs they created themselves. Not to mention the incredible outfits. It’s just plain celebration.

On mission statements
The Colour Parade is not a political parade but the more “closed” our society becomes, the more “controversy” we create. The setting around us is so grey and confirmative that we want to inspire everybody to be whom they want to be. It’s about bringing together like-minded people so you can certainly expect to expand your circle of friends with all the activated, inspired, explosive and expressive individuals you will encounter.

On Sydney
The Colour Parade is about opening Sydney’s vision and to let its beautiful, open-minded people out on the streets to connect and make some noise. Sydney is very commercial and mundane and that automatically influences some artists to the extreme. The public always reacts different when they see the parade. Some people are confused, some are scared, but some get inspired and even join us. And why not, because at the end of the day, we are just a bunch of people walking down the streets expressing ourselves with colour and adornment.

On the future
Casio Ono and I are moving to Berlin. We went there for seven months last year and met some amazing people I’m excited to work with. I want to be able to travel and show my work around the world, perhaps even Japan. That place is like another planet! And who knows, at the end that might be the place where I belong.

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 2.

Read the complete issue here.

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De pagina die u zocht kon niet gevonden worden. Probeer uw zoekopdracht te verfijnen of gebruik de bovenstaande navigatie om deze post te vinden.

Et Alors? magazine. A global celebration of diversity.

Little People

door Fleur Pierets | mrt 25, 2012 | Conceptual Art

Little People

Text JF. Pierets Artwork Slinkachu

UK based artist Slinkachu is abandoning little people on the streets since 2006. Come again? “My ‘Little People Project’ started in 2006. It involves the remodelling and painting of miniature model train set characters, which I then place and leave on the street.

It is both a street art installation project and a photography project. The street-based side of my work plays with the notion of surprise and I aim to encourage city-dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings. The scenes I set up, more
evident through the photography, and the titles I give these scenes aim to reflect the loneliness and melancholy of living in a big city, almost being lost and overwhelmed. But underneath this, there is always humour. I want people to be able to empathise with the tiny people in my works.”

Where do you get your ‘little people’?
Many of the little people live under my bed where I force them in to hard labour cleaning crumbs from my floor. Others are made by German company Preiser and can be bought in model shops and on the net. Google is your friend.

Do your ‘little people’ come ready made?
To an extent. Most are unpainted. I often remodel the characters, adding new features such as hoods with modelling clay, or changing arm and leg positions. I paint the characters and, if needed, find props. Some undergo a lot of modification, such as the super hero characters from my Whatever Happened to the Men of Tomorrow? series.

‘I also spend a lot of time sitting in coffee shops people-watching, reading the news and doodling in a sketchbook.’

Where do you get your props?
Many different sources such as model shops, online model railway sites and often ebay. I also use a lot of found materials, such as litter and insects.

Are you a professional photographer?
I didn’t train professionally as a photographer – I am mainly self-taught.

What camera do you use?
I use a Canon 5D mk2. When I first started I just used a simple point-and-click digital camera and then later a Canon 400D.

Have you done/would you do installations in other cities or countries?
So far I have done installations in London, Manchester, Stavanger (Norway), Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Barcelona, Athens, Marrakech and Grottaglie in Italy.

Where do you get your ideas?
Like most people, ideas come from my head through a process called ‘thinking’. I also spend a lot of time sitting in coffee shops people-watching, reading the news and doodling in a sketchbook.

Where can I purchase your prints?
Check out my website to see galleries that stock my work. If you contact them they will be able to help you further.

Can I commission you for my ad campaign / album cover / decorative tea set?
I usually avoid allowing my work to be used for commercial means, but would be open to commissions if the brief / end product / event is good (it would have to be a damn good tea set).

Can I collaborate with you on some work?
Possibly – and I always love seeing new work so just drop me a line.

Do you have a mailing list?
If you email me at slinkachu@yahoo.co.uk I will add you to my mailing list and keep you updated with future shows, releases and happenings.

www.slinkachu.com
www.little-people.blogspot.com