“I wanted to make more physical works that could stand the test of time, and contribute something a little bit more vulnerable… that’s how we got here.”
Could you tell us about your upbringing in Atlanta and how it’s influenced your art practice?
My initial interest in any sort of art was music, and from the time I was born, I’ve always been surrounded by musicians. When I became a teenager, I met more people who had their own idea of life, and saw them take these incredible leaps and chances. They were able to display a level of vulnerability that I never even thought to express.
Some of my friends blew up, and by continuing relationships with them and following their growth as superstars, I was able to connect with other musicians and artists around the world. Around COVID, I got a little bored with just documenting musicians and wanted to make more physical works that could stand the test of time, and contribute something a little bit more vulnerable instead of just portraits. I was just missing that moment of fulfillment in my work – that’s how we got here.
Where are you currently based?
Atlanta. It’s my favorite place ever, and I feel like that’s the best place for me to be as an artist. I want to be able to go out into the world, grab my own audience, and just bring it back home – create a foundation for whoever else has something cool to say. So I feel like it’s best that I stay, you know, close to home as much as possible.
Can you share any memorable experiences related to your journey as a photographer?
I met this guy, Kenneth, at the Marc Jacobs Heaven store on Fairfax. He had on these crazy pants, some custom screen-printed stuff, and a button clicked. We started talking, and he invited me over to silkscreen my first works. I’m not gonna lie, they came out so bad, but I wanted to try something new, and had such a good time doing it. It felt like I was actually taking strides towards a new level of artistry; I felt like I was evolving in that moment, right there in my friend’s backyard.
Another moment was when I started working with Daniel Caesar. We would just talk all day until the sun came up. He put me on to all of his favorite philosophers. Through that, I started diving in even harder, trying to make more genuine connections with my work and figure out how I could explore more with what I was trying to evolve towards. He opened my mind because as an artist, it’s our job to show you things that are already there, but from a new or different perspective.
What’s your go-to gear right now?
Naturally all of my stuff originates in photography, so some sort of cool photo, video device, film or tapes. I need my own mobile photo lab setup where I can set up my own dark room, and the biggest silkscreen in the world. I’m always gonna need that. I like to develop my own images, it’s way more fun. It just leaves a larger margin of error that creates perfect, unique images.
