Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Eskimo Skins

With years of experience comes a unique stylized fragment of a moment that many artists strive to achieve. However, it is often the work of a young, innocent eye that delivers raw images filled with emotion and narrative. The photography of Matt Skuza (often taking on the persona of Utah) is an amazing example of inexperienced artistry at its finest. He has the ability to take any viewer of his work to a place of untold adolescent dreams, and dark adult fantasies.






If you could blink your eyes and be anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
If I could blink my eyes and be anywhere in the world right now, I think I would be in Iceland with 5 huskies, living in one of those houses that are under the grass. Wouldn't mind not having electricity either.

When did you embark on this journey as a photographer? When did you begin to truly see your self as a photographer?
I started taking photographs at the age of 17. I'm not sure if I'd consider myself a photographer; I think that description gets misused a lot. To be a photographer I think you must grow first - it doesn't happen over night - it takes many years of fucking up. Photography became my art of choice in an odd way. I needed an outlet for expression, and considering I didn't know how to draw at the time, I explored the world of cameras. I always loved black and white photography and the way it made me feel so in the beginning I only shot with black and white. I use photography more like therapy.







Why have you chosen film over digital photography as your medium of choice?
I decided to use film pretty early on. The way a film photograph looks to me is a lot more honest, a lot more character involved. You can almost see the emotion without it being clouded. People always give me their opinions about film versus digital, and they just don't seem to get what I get. They think it's a lot more wise to get involved with digital because it's somewhat cheaper... But its not about the money. Its about the process; its about singing on rooftops.

Many of your images make me want to transport to a different time, place, and universe all together. Do you find your photography allows for your imagination to wander to spaces that you can't go physically?
I don't think they do, maybe cause it's my work. But the way I look at my work and the way others look at it are completely different.

In one word how would YOU describe your work?
Lonely

You often photograph spaces that are very earth-based, like forests or fields. How do you find photographing nature or rural landscapes differ from photographing urban settings?
I do tend to photograph a lot of fields and forests - I don't know why, I just seem to have this attraction towards it. Calms me down. Feels like those types of places accept me (or anything). Urban settings are more hostile, and I feel like I get confused with myself.




I find your photos are mysterious in a sort of whimsical way. Do you intend to capture images that portray this (or any) specific feeling, or do you think that the moments just allow for it to happen on its own?

Well, from working on my portfolio lately I've discovered how my photos make me feel. I've found that they make me feel lonely, almost sad. Sometimes I guess I somewhat plan it, but I think most of the time it just happens that way subconsciously. I think my work is really honest.







I particularly love your new set of photos from Toronto; I find there is a stronger sense of the viewer as dominating the camera. When taking a photo, do you imagine the lens as someone's view on the world, or simply as a moment within a particular time in space?
I think it's both; my photos act like a library to my personal life. I look through the camera to capture a moment in my life that at the time I felt something.

Despite the presence of familiar faces in your photography, I always find your photos attribute a story to the subject that is different from their existing story in reality. What role do you envision people playing in your photos?
I don't really enjoy taking photos of people posing for the camera and I find that when you take pictures of friends they seem to only want to pose. Ifind that boring. I don't want a photo of someone presenting themselves in a fake version of themselves. I want to take a picture of someone who's not looking at me, who mostly doesn't even know I'm looking at them. I feel that's honesty. I feel like when that happens, it's true and contains a lot more emotion. The role I envision people playing in my photos would be to be as free as birds, the birds that wake you up in the morning.

At this exact moment in time, what would a road map of your future look like?
Well right now I'm throwing my portfolio together to get into a school. Probably going to work on it for another year, the program I want to get into is 2-3 years in length. During all that, I'd like to have a few shows. AFTER ALLLLLL THAT Id love to move to SanFran.

"Being an artist." What does that phrase mean to you?

Being an artist... I don't even consider myself an artist. I think everyone on this planet needs therapy and I'm thankful I found mine.

Would the world be a better place if we were all animals roaming a natural, element-ruled kingdom?
I wish!! But maybe in a different lifetime we will all experience that. What I really want is to be blind and for everyone else to be blind, at least just for a few years. I figure if we all went through tha,t we would appreciate some things a lot more. I wake up every morning pumped that I have vision. People only miss it once they lose it; let's lose it and then be pumped to have it back and live everyday knowing we can see the small things for more than what they really are.



















Walking with Utah

Cave Singers - Beach House

Friday, April 23, 2010

FRIDAY!

..will be a long day. Although it is so beautiful out, I will be in the cave that is Top of the World from 10 am until 9 pm. Visits will be appreciated, followed by Fuzzy Peaches, coffee, grapefruit, or Oreos. Fourtunately I will get a two hour break somewhere within all of my inside time - hopefully to sit and bask in the lovely sun reading either Vice or Nylon - there are things to look forward to today!


Grandfather


...dreams about being rescued by a king
flying with birds
holding jet packs to get out of town
again, the sun sits across my eyes (only)
and I shut it out until nighttime
I am finally able to listen to "Two-Headed Boy"
without feeling like the entire world is crashing down

XX - Heart Skipped a Beat

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Aquarium Drinker


owls weld
woeful sleds
two-hundred people
wowing skeletons and squirrels
sitting with kaleidoscopes
doubled by idol worlds
assisting damned working ladies


My Morning Jacket - The way that he sings (live)
Wilco - I am trying to break your heart
remember now, often
feel the hot crowd,
suddenly quiet
the house
hand holding her back;

see the lake storm
the walls, red and yellow
mended, side by side.
small black eyes
enviously look.

silence.

red, half-hidden mother,
white and scared
never to cease
memory of agony; sitting
clenched wooden girl

remember, flood
pouring memory
snow. spring.
good-bye.

Monday, April 19, 2010

My body hurts a lot. Not sure why; guess I must have slept weird last night (when I finally did go to bed).

My night consisted of devouring a grapefruit, snacking on delicious pistachios and a pack of juice boxes, and disappointingly sour blueberries, all while watching Blow and brainstorming tattoo ideas (imagine a mean owl flying, carrying a carcass zombie T-rex in its talons while the T-rex has a possessed unicorn in its mouth where the unicorn's horn is bleeding, and the horn has a person's head speared onto it, and the person's head has been ripped from its body, and its spinal cord is hanging down and a little boy is holding onto it, floating, thinking it's a balloon, while there is a mouse in the boy's pocket. IMAGINE!)

Song for today:

Neutral Milk Hotel - King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1
(such an amazing version)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

This is a roof; and these are shoes&socks with hearts.


Run Toto Run - Always like this (Bombay Bicycle Club Cover)

these two things go together well;

The Tallest Man on Earth - Love is All

(Latin Saver)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Was at Bridgehead today from 3 til the chick told me to leave. My brain is on Livesay, Birney, Carr, Archie Belaney, and the move from colonial thinking to modernist thought!! I LIKE LITERATURE, BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH!!

Here are songs. I like them. Especially the second one. I think it rules hard. Super, duper hard. (I'm tired, and my brain is seeping out my ears.)


Utah

Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo (DJ Dials Vocals Edit)

How to Dress Well (blog) - Decisions



Dana Falconberry - Crooked River

The National - Sin-Eaters

Three Blind Wolves - Three Blind Wolves

Hannah Georgas - Bang Bang You're Dead

leave my mind



Radical Face - Wrapped in Piano Strings
(At first I wasn't into it, but I gave the whole "Ghost" album a full listen, and now it is all I can listen to! This track is my favourite.)

GAYNGS - Faded High
(This entire album is incredible; I bought it before I had even heard a single track. Check out their myspace and read the About GAYNGS; you will understand)

Sleep, and hopefully great dreams.

Monday, April 12, 2010

beautiful thinking




Minds grim with nihilism still find first light inspiring. Mild pink in tint, its shining twilight brings bright tidings which lift sinking spirits. With firm will, I finish climbing, hiking till I find this inviting inn, in which I might sit, dining. I thirst. I bid girls bring stiff drinks -- gin fizz which I might sip whilst finishing this rich dish, nibbling its tidbits: ribs with wings in chili, figs with kiwis in icing. I swig citric drinks with vim, tippling kirsch, imbibing it till, giggling, I flirt with girlish virgins in miniskirts:
wink, wink. I miss living in sin, pinching thighs, kissing lips pink with lipstick.



from Christian Bok's volume of poetry titled Eunoia, in which each chapter uses one single vowel only. I've only read the chapter of "I", and it is beautiful. I must get my hands on this book. (birthday present??)

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Hot, Reckless, Totally Insane!!

We just did renovations at the shop on Easter weekend, and last night to celebrate, we threw a party, Thrashin' style! Here are some photos from the night, from Cleo's camera, taken by Cleo and myself!






Tom and BrittW



Ian, some dude, and Celina



Szeto



Sarai!









Lovely Emma C



New Top video



Highneken


Courtney and Francis



Bro-love



Me and Meg are clearly besty-ing up here






The Fashion Press



Slaysh



DJ Skid Vicious



Claire



Top of the World

Neon Indian - Sleep Paralysist

Alexis Nexus



This is my friend Alexis. She is so incredibly one-of-a-kind, and has always been the baby of the group. Over the last year though, I have witnessed Alexis blossom into this amazing, beautiful, and strong individual who I adore and look up to. Not only is she absolutely naturally stunning, she has a great sense of style that is so carefree. She is creative and artistic, and I am constantly being inspired by her, in all forms.




From a very young age, Alexis has been playing violin, and I think she is an amazingly talented musician, but is too humble to admit it! SHE SHOULD BE IN A BAND! (lookithowcutesheis!!)

I think she also takes amazing photos! I'm sure she doesn't mean to, but she sure knows how to capture an image very well. Here are a few of my favourite photos of her's:




















Check out more of my dearest favourite character, Alexis at Enfants Seuls.



x.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Six am

Got woken up by a series of hilarious text messages from a friend on shrooms? It was quite entertaining:

April 10, 3:31 am
Bangin babes

April 10, 3:32 am
Not axtually but i did shrooms and wabnt to

April 10, 3:34 am
Si crazy itkd wicked

April 10, 3:38 am
It wuill never

April 10, 4:35 am
Fuck.


Best.
Anyway, now it's six o'clock in the morning, and I can hardly sleep.

This is the most beautiful track I have heard in a while; I wish I could find it in mp3 format. But for now, here it is as a Youtube clip.

PS (I fully stole this video from Enfants Seuls, but couldn't help it, it rules too hard.


Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Study distraction

I'd really like to go outside; and not be inside studying.


Check out Cults.

Cults - Go Outside
Cults - Most Wanted

(thanks M. Tamblyn)