Interview with Krys Fox
q)For
the people who don't know your work - how would you describe it ?
a)It's
always weird for me to describe my own art.. I guess cause I'm so close to it.
I tend to shoot somewhere in between surrealism and realism. I like to add a
stylized element to an emotional and/or gritty everyday reality. Mostly I shoot
people, but always have my camera and try and create something new everyday.
q)What
are the key themes running through your practice?
a)Lately
it has been death actually.. ha. I've been shooting a 31 Days of Halloween
series all this month of October.. recreating horror films and switching the
characters gender, but trying to remain as close to the original films' tones,
textures and emotion. I've also been shooting a series I call The Styx Series.. motivated by my love of Greek Mythology.
It's a 500 shot project of people with totems over their eyes, in a death
pose.. Every subject has different totems, locations and color schemes..
Creating (hopefully) a whimsical, vibrant quilt of life and death afterwards..
So
death, and the beauty and uniqueness it can present.
q)Your
favorite place on earth?
a)So
far New York .
It's like my other lover. I recently was in England though for an exhibition,
and it changed my life. I am in love with the UK ...and can't wait to return.
I
also want to live in Africa in a tree house
for a year... someday.
q)What
influences your work?
a)Other
artists/people i love inspire me and fill my creative well. I watch a lot of
film, and many films/filmmakers inspire me. Nature and getting lost in it. And
showers.. whenever I can't think of how to shoot someone, I often close my eyes
in the shower and the image pops in my head like a hallucination.
q)What
music are you into right now?
a)My
favorite albums of the year have been Fiona Apple's newest and the new solo
album by Dresden
Doll singer Amanda Palmer. I am late to the party but have been into Sleigh
Bells and Die Antword a lot too.
Fav
Music is Morphine, Pixies, PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke.
q)Describe
your thought & design process...
a)I
think in angles.. Funny how math and I have never been a good match. But I
naturally see images in angles. I storyboard images about half the time (my
shower hallucinations) and the other half is improvised during the shoot.
Design is the same way.. half planned to a tee and half pulled out of my ass.
q)Which
emerging artists are you looking forward to seeing more of?
a)I
love Al Benkin's painting and installations. Scooter LaForge endlessly inspires
me. Designer Wren Britton's work is brilliant and very much in my
macabre/whimsical sensibility.
q)Favorite
place on the internet?
a)Is
it douchey to say my fan page on Facebook? I love the feedback and enthusiasm
of my fans.. It keeps me going when I feel like a creative husk.
q)Do
you have any upcoming projects/exhibitions we should know about?
a)I
do! I'm exhibiting some new work at Tribes Gallery in NYC on November 8th (the
day before my birthday ) and in the spring in Manchester , UK
alongside (the awesome) Pam Van Damned.
I'm
still shooting Styx Pictures daily, and
cooking on a 31 Days of Halloween book.
q)Tell
us something we don't know - but should...
a)I'm
quite shy.. People assume cause i have tattoos and wear colorful clothes that
I'm an extrovert, but I'm actually pretty introverted. I hate having my picture
taken.. but seem to do it for others all the time. Karma I guess, due to all
the things I make my models go through..