Backstage photoshoots, film stills and magical realism – check out the latest projects from this month’s selected Dazed Clubbers
Dazed Club Spotlight is our monthly series showcasing up-and-coming talent from the Dazed creative community. If you’d like to be featured, join the Club here.
“Since childhood, I adored nature as the most pure form of art; the art that surrounds you. The only thing I liked as a child was climbing into a hut on a tree and writing stories about my friends in a thick leather notebook. Perhaps if I had not fallen in love with a photographer 15 years later, my path would have led me to writing or accounting. But, thanks to the chance, now my pen is a camera. I think that to this day, behind every photograph of mine, there is a naive spontaneity, kindness, and desire to give life to the characters.
“At the moment I am focused on working with musicians. I love music so much because it creates an entire world inside you through invisible forces. Also, after many years of working in fashion, I found another favourite genre: backstage photography, which allows you to be subtle and wait for the opportunity when you only have a moment to take a photo. Of course, I really like working with film photography and being able to do some great pre-production work. This gives me another opportunity – not to change photos so much during the post-production stage.
“The first image is one of my favourite photos, because it shows the lead singer of Foals, whose music I grew up listening to. For me, to meet one of my favourite bands was quite a moment. Big thanks to Tanu Muino, who was the director who invited me as a photographer on this project. I really like to use wide-angle lenses and shoot over a person’s shoulder, thereby creating the impression that you are peeking and as if you are invading the moment.”
“My creative process is deeply rooted in magical realism and fantasy literature, cinema and my own vivid dreams. These sources of inspiration constantly intertwine, allowing me to envision and produce my photographic work. I gravitate towards blues and violets; these shades capture the moods and emotions I aim to convey. I believe they evoke a sense of depth and resonate with both the celestial and the other-worldly, aligning with my artistic inclinations.
“Fabrics play an integral role in my work as they enhance the depth and mood of my images. The interplay between light and shadow is equally pivotal, sculpting the scene and creating nuances that add to my images. Photography, to me, is not just about capturing a moment; it's about narrating a story, sparking curiosity, and evoking emotion. Every image is a piece of me, a blend of artistry and personal narrative. This journey of creating and sharing has been a source of immense peace, bridging the gap between my internal world and the world around me.
“My approach is meticulous and deliberate, with each image being a realisation of a vision that has been intentionally brought to life. Every decision is influenced by my desire to communicate the essence of the dreams and narratives that inspire me. Through my work, I aspire to transport viewers, allowing them to connect with the world I create, and perhaps, find elements that resonate with their own imaginations.”
“My work focuses a lot on gender expression, technology and the way we can express our identities through our environment. My recent photo story called Wild things is a play on the book Where the Wild Things Are, with styling references from the 1979 film The Warriors. The movie itself is a great example of how certain tribes and gangs perform to others, and shows how dress and clothing can make us feel like we’re part of something.
“Play is a really important part of dress for me, and it helps me understand my own self-expression, especially gender expression and identity. These spaces can be found in the everyday for me, but also in the queer underground, where club kids, performers and artists invent their own way of dressing to flow and move through these spaces.
“I also like the connections found in those rooms and how me and my friends collectively dress and present ourselves, creating these personas and alter-egos that bring out so much confidence and certainty in ourselves. Seeing queer spaces from the past is also a huge inspiration, and I recently went to the Nan Goldin exhibition This Will Not End Well at Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, where instead of photos placed on walls, her work was shown on different slideshows inside curtained rooms within the space. I’ve always been a huge Nan Goldin fan because she always photographed worlds that her and her friend’s created. In her photos, the subjects are always the stars of the show. I always want to try and replicate those spaces that past photographers have documented, and merge these themes with my own experience in the spaces I’ve created for myself.”
Dazed Club member Gracie Brackstone organised an exhibition of work and launch of her new book at Manchester’s Hidden Nightclub. The event was focused on emerging northern talents of all calibres, from DJs to designers, to performers and photographers. Gracie curated the event and pinned fabrics together for the show and curated the looks. The night featured performances from @daguwrlz – a new queer performance group in the North who are also friends and Collaborators of Gracie's.
“The collective, @artiscomingcollective, was formed a year ago, after an initial exhibition which highlighted northern talent and addressed how the cost of living crisis is affecting marginalised groups. The event raised £350 for a local food bank and £200 in February for trans youth. We have also managed to raise over £1000 for one of our member’s top surgery.
“We have worked for venues such as Antwerp Mansion, VF Dalston, The Love Factory and The Tate Liverpool, for their Spirit of Eurovision show back in May. This event has been the first one since then, as myself and XXS, my old housemate, were made homeless and this put a stop to events for the time being. This book launch and exhibition commented on this as we turned Hidden into our old house, ‘The Doll House’. The space became like a squat, featuring clothes, fabrics, airbeds and protest signs, which have become significant in our lives over the past year.
“We always look into addressing the wealth gap in the fashion industry, being resourceful and sustainable, anarchy, trans and queer rights. It is special because it is a community – the models are all friends, along with any DJ's, assistants and helpers of any kind. We were so grateful for Hidden Night Club, a renowned queer art space in Manchester, which really supported us and provided a free space for us to showcase our work. We are hoping to get more into fashion shows in the next year and to grow further as a collective and community.”