Who is Nikita Gale? In searching for a definite answer, I discovered the story isn't so black and white. Political activist, dream catcher, soul capturer with a camera lens, or an ordinary individual? So eager to label the creator with such bold statements, I figured if I was to come up with some sort of conclusion, it should be fact based. In an interview discussing personal expression in photography, inspiration, opinions, and being an artist here in Atlanta, Nikita Gale gives enough for you to inquire beyond this interview.
Q&A:
Nikita Gale is a conceptual artist and photographer.
-In viewing your work, expression oozes from each and every photo. Is this expression of how you, the photographer, want your subjects captured and received, or expression of your subjects, and their perception of themselves?
Well, like many solo artists, I am a control freak, so my photos are always a representation of how I see my subjects. However, on some shoots, you will have an element of collaboration where you want the subject to be happy with the finished product as well. This can be tricky because I often feel like some of my least favorite images are the ones that other people seem to really like.
-Inspiration and influence for pursuing this medium.
William Eggleston, Peter Beard, Guy Bourdin, Juergen Teller, Bob Richardson, Terry Richardson, Ellen von Unwerth
-Original Polaroids vs. Digital Cameras. One over the other or mix medium.
I don't like how the whole hipster culture has taken over Polaroids, so I'll say medium format or 35mm film over digital. Don't get me wrong, I like digital, too, but mixed media is the best. I love text-based work (John Baldessari, Barbara Kruger) and photo-based collages (David Hockney, Richard Hamilton, Peter Beard).
-While Atlanta is developing culturally, it holds its limits for creative nay-sayers. Do you feel this hinders your growth as an artist?
I think Atlanta is an incredible place to develop independently as an artist. It's a great launching pad. Everyone wants to collaborate and help you out; I have never encountered any sort of competitive or negative energy here. Also, Atlanta is cheap, so I can actually afford to create work! Lots of work.
You create art work with messages, some abstract some concrete. As an artist, who is Nikita and what's the main objective in your art work.
The objective of my work is always to find a way to express how my mind processes the world around me. I want to ask questions, provide answers or make statements with my work.-Do you have a muse? If so, who's your muse?
I don't really have a muse. I guess you could say that I'm inspired by the ordinary.
-What can we expect from Nikita come 2011?
Oh I like to show and then tell ;)
-First impression of Cocainepretti?
I can't feel my face.
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