Urban Jungle
Photographer: Ava-Jayani Karanth
1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?
I come from a lower socioeconomic and minority background, so I appreciate finding value in things. I enjoy mixing high end fashion with an urban background, creating contrast between the two, to blend something new. I have personally experienced how receiving and viewing art such as photography and visual concepts can help people, whether a form of inspiration, romanticism or a sense of normalcy in a chaotic situation. Photography brings me a sense of calm; being behind the lens can be grounding, just you and your subject, and being trusted to hear someone’s story and help them to share it with your own creative twist.
2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?
One collaboration was with a creative friend of mine. The theme was natural elements, water and space, for her upcoming single. Despite the theme, we decided to shoot within tube stations and other industrial locations. The idea of transportation to another planet, or waves into or out of the frame were created by photographing her on an escalator and layering a planet behind her.
3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?
I was recently part of a project for an artist’s new single. I got sent the song to listen to and come up with a mood board of feelings and visuals the song evoked; we blended ideas together, to create something in line with the song. This style of photography was different for us both, as we work on more urban grunge styles, more than ethereal style shoots. It was also challenging because she was working with various image makers, so I had to make sure my photography would blend well with their work to create a wider body of work but also keep my creative edge and identity. With all the preparation, location scouting and wardrobe talks, we felt prepared for this shoot, bouncing off our own ideas and sources of inspiration, and playing with different techniques such as motion blur. I was able to step outside my usual realm of photography to capture something that felt intimate.
4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?
Being neurodivergent, I see the world through a different lens and always want to make sure people feel seen. I initially started out with photojournalism, but with the creativity of fashion and portraiture, I can use that eye to tell someone’s story in a different way. I take a concept and put a spin on it, taking everyday occurrences and making them unconventional and fresh. In a male dominated world, it’s harder for female creatives to break into the industry; I aim to make my work feel empowering for all and I find it rewarding to work on projects advocating for people. I did an exhibition called ‘More Than’, highlighting how people are more than stereotypes, not one dimensional. Capturing the emotion of the moment, and light within the person is a crucial part of my photography.
5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?
Each year I learn something new, and I think it’s beautiful to have an art form that constantly evolves. I have worked with magazines, model agencies and music artists, and individuals I met by chance, so I would love to continue that; the opportunity to learn from and work alongside photographers whose work I admire, would be invaluable. Pip Bourdillon, Lola Mansell, Paul Hempstead, Kat Temkin, Pooneh Ghana, Hannah Moon, David Urbanke, Rory Barnes, Hanina, and Emilia Staugaard, are ones that inspire me; how they blend creativity and emotion is something I hope to continue developing myself. Being brought in to help work on a campaign or press work would be amazing, and for people to keep feeling comfortable sharing their story with me.
-
This fashion editorial was a collaboration between the models, stylist and photographer to capture life in the city. We shot in lived-in areas, capturing a glimpse into urban lifestyle of the capital, and so, shooting locations included a skate park, basketball court, car park and housing estate, where we interacted with the environments. We used different elements of fashion, playing with ideas of styles and set-ups unconventional to those settings. Experimenting with shapes and movement within the frame, allowed us to bring dynamics to architectural surroundings. The urban grunge vibe of the shoot compliments the ‘Urban Jungle’ objective.
-
Photographer: Ava-Jayani Karanth
Model: Hazel Steffen
Wardrobe Stylist/Creative Director: Iliyan Tsvetkov
Model: Oliver Knight