Interview with Artist - JENNY MONICK

MDLF: What is your name?

JM: Jenny Sprague Monick

MDLF: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

JM: Impossible

MDLF: Where do you live? Which cities do you most frequently go to and why? Are you more drawn to one place or culture?

JM: I live in Brooklyn, NY.  I most frequently visit Los Angeles, CA.  I feel best near enormous bodies of water and at cultural crossroads.

MDLF: If you can, tell us three things that bring you joy

JM: Joy is a capital letter word - it could be anything, so I can’t tell, really.

Name Of Piece: Still life with yellow

Size of piece: 11 x 14"

Medium: Oil on linen

Photographed by: Paul Takeuchi

Location, Year: New York, NY 2017

MDLF: Can you tell us about any artist or person living or dead that inspires you.

JM: Most of my love goes to Piet Mondrian, who was also a Pisces, clearly.  What is left over, which is a lot, goes to many many artists and other people, animals, plants, acts of nature, celestial bodies, etc.

MDLF: When did you first identify being an artist? When did you start creating?  Did you foresee a creative path in your childhood?

JM: My childhood bedroom was my first creation.  A furtive, almost invisible Total Work of Art, I did what I could, as it needed to appear a proper bedroom to the adults who were a little too frequently dropping by.  I didn’t want to have to answer any questions.

I also had a dollhouse (the ‘family’ was quickly dispatched to sit amongst some broken furniture in the attic, they felt a little creepy and irrelevant) and in the house we lived in, any shelf, closet, toolbench, or cupboard I could arrange and rearrange was an expressive opportunity.  

Later, visiting the old MoMA, when I was 12 or so, the room with the Water Lilies, The Japanese Footbridge, a grey low pile carpet, and leather and wood benches along a full wall of windows facing North.  It was perfect. It was a perfect room, a Poetic Image, I understood, despite knowing nothing formally about what any of it was. Unfortunately my enthusiasm was taken as an interest in French Impressionism, which it decidedly was not.  But I still have a poster of the Monet in this same childhood bedroom, in the house my parents have lived in since I was born. And from then on I felt on a path.

Name Of Piece: Lining

Size of piece: 15 x 23"

Medium: C-print

Photographed by: Gedi Sibony

Location, Year: 2001, Long Island, NY,

MDLF: How often do you create? What motivates you to keep practicing?

JM: Not sure.  

MDLF: What challenges have you been met with while moving through a work in progress?

JM: It is all a challenge.  It’s knowing when the difficulty is clear, and when it is unclear.  If I can get a grip on what the problem is, I can probably solve it.  If I’m not sure what the problem is, I’m pretty lost. Which is fine too, for a while… 

MDLF: What accomplishments are you most proud of?

JM: For one, my work with children.  I was at one time the curator of a gallery set up to display children’s art made at public schools receiving grants from a particular not-for-profit.  The openings were a gas and thrilling and also very moving. Pint sized dressed up artists and their adults….  

MDLF: Can you share with us your creative process? Where does your mind go, what is your creative space like, what are your go-to-tools, when is a piece finished?

JM: Do you know the one about the dancing centipede and the jealous daddy long legs?  It’s like being both. 

Name Of Piece: Stilll life with songs

Size of piece: Variable

Medium: Cassette player and cassette tape

Photographed by: Veli-Matti Hoikka

Location, Year: Reserve Ames, Los Angeles, CA, 2017

MDLF: Did you go to art school? If so, what are your thoughts on its effect on your art and process, Would you recommend it for others?
JM: No.  I often wish I had, and as often I am glad I didn’t!  I took classes as an undergrad at Columbia and then later night classes, Continuing Education at Cooper Union, which were taught by recent MFA graduates from Yale.  Meanwhile I worked for artists. Those jobs were helpful, too, to see how it all works, privately and professionally. Later I was an early childhood art teacher. That is where I picked up the most inspiring informative/formative stuff.   I think art school is probably a good idea…it is really hard to say.

MDLF: Can you describe your first painting/piece that defined your style of painting?  How about your favorite work/piece/or show, how long did it take, what was your process, and where can we see it?

JM: Not sure.

MDLF: What is your perception of gender?

JM: I mean...I’m extremely glad this notion is being pried open…peeled, eviscerated, even. 

Name Of Piece: Still life with apples

Size of piece: variable

Medium: Apples and felt

Photographed by: Veli-Matti Hoikka

Location, Year: Reserve Ames, Los Angeles, CA, 2017

MDLF: What does Masculine de La Femme mean to you? Can you apply this meaning to your art or lifestyle?

JM: Language is a tough nut.  

MDLF: Is your work changing in the current political climate? How so?

JM: Well, we are in some kind of wilderness, here…

…Work-wise, climate is the question, for me, more than political.  I wonder a LOT about - things - facture - do I need to make it physical, material, do I need to make it at all - I am a dedicated winnower - , especially now as we are sort of drowning in stuff… Noah Purifoy - … I think about him - just as a starting point… What is value?  What is of value?

MDLF: If you could sit down with your younger self, what would you say?  What learning experience can you share with young women looking to be an artist or figuring out where they are needed most?

JM: Read Uses of the Erotic:The Erotic as Power by Audre Lorde, and re-read often.

Pin up the Immaculate Heart College Art Department Rules, somewhere prominent.

MDLF: Where can we view more of your work?

JM: jennymonick.com

Artist, Jenny Monick

Photography by Dan Monick , all shot on black and white film

Art Direction and Wardrobe Styling by Monica Reyes

Featured Brands : Elsa Esturgie, Pas de Calais, Mixed Business

Interview with Photographer - Chris Singer

MDLF: What is your name?
CS: Chris Singer

MDLF: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

CS: It is always hard for me to talk about myself so I would say other people have to find this word.

MDLF: Where do you live? Which cities do you most frequently go to and why? Are you more drawn to one place or culture?
CS: I live in Vienna and work across Europe and in Los Angeles. My favorite spot to work at the moment is Los Angeles cause there are so many different locations, always good weather and a lot of inspired and motivated people from all over the world. In the beginning it is always the location which fascinates me and once I spend time there, there needs to be a certain interest in the culture to keep it interesting.

MDLF: If you can, tell us three things that bring you joy.
CS: Sharing experiences with people I really care about.
Nice surf session on the water which brings me back to the the important things in life and a strong connection to nature. When a planed project gets realized and the result is even better than imagined.

MDLF: Can you tell us about any artist or person living or dead that inspires you.
CS: I am not getting inspired by a certain person as much as different works and actions or even from the conversations I have with people.

MDLF: When did you first identify with being an artist? When did you start creating? Did you foresee a creative path in your childhood?
CS: I first realized my creativity during school education in an art school where I was fascinated by photography especially analog photography. During my process of becoming a photographer, I tried different kinds of photography; press, sport and now I've ended up in a kind of fashion and beauty business.
I did not foresee a creative path in my life although my mother and my grandfather were very creative in painting and drawing but not in a professional way more in a passionate way.

MDLF: How often do you create? What motivates you to keep practicing?

CS: As often as I can and I am allowed to. Motivation for me is when you create a piece of art which speaks for itself which is timeless and where the beholder has to feel something deep deep inside. The worst case is when people pass by your art and just say “nice”….

MDLF: What challenges have you been met with while moving through a work in progress?
CS: The worst challenge is when you find out that that your plan which you made before the shoot does not work out, on the other hand it also comes to a point where you let things happen and in most times it is even better than planned.

MDLF: What accomplishments are you most proud of?
CS: When you work hard on convincing someone, especially people from the industry, to participate in your project and at the end they tell you that it was an amazing experience and they would love to work with you again in future.

MDLF: Can you share with us your creative process? Where does your mind go, what is your creative space like, what are your go-to-tools, when is a piece finished?
CS: For me the best ideas come before falling asleep, and these ideas I have to sort during the next weeks.
- My creative space depends on the projects each one can be so different, like my go to tools !
- A piece is finished when I think to myself this is it! Unfortunately I usually think about doing something different a few days later.

MDLF: Did you go to art school? If so, what are your thoughts on its effect on your art and process, Would you recommend it for others?
CS: I attended an art school only for two years and yes I would recommend an art school but not only for one kind of art. It should give you a wide perspective of different kinds of art cause in my opinion everything that inspires you makes you more valuable in your passion/profession.

MDLF: What is your perception of gender?

CS: I prefer to work with women cause I am really fascinated by women's bodies and the way they express themselves.

What does Masculine de La Femme mean to you?

Can you apply this meaning to your art or lifestyle?

CS: For me it means to portray women as independent, self-determined humans without pushing them into a social role.

[…continued] With the support of analog photography I would like to point out the uniqueness of all female attributes because analog photography does not allow body shaping and makes the photo a unique piece.

The styling of Monica supports the personality of the woman and turns her inner self even more to the outside giving her a certain self-confidence and pride without pushing her into a foreign role.

MDLF: Is your work changing in the current political climate? How so?

CS: No I don´t think that my work has any political influence.

MDLF: If you could sit down with your younger self, what would you say? What learning experience can you share with young women looking to be an artist or figuring out where they are needed most?

CS: I would say myself, stay independent in your work as long as possible. Do not produce too much work for money which are not authentic to your vision.
Never give up trying and never feel too good for some shoot you will always learn something new even it is not visual in the beginning, the development will never stop.

MDLF: What would you say to someone to convince them to shoot film vs digital.

CS: I think it is hard to convince someone to change. You have to try it and experience the concentration you need with film not wasting your shots and the tension you have until you have the first developed pics in your hand..
Further more I would say to just have one original picture which is hard to duplicate makes the work even more important and unique, and I am not talking about the advantages of grain and blur which makes it imperfect although this imperfection makes it unique and so interesting for me.

MDLF: Any recommendations on stocks, processing, scanning? Or do you want to keep your secrets safe?
CS: Just keep it simple I don’t care so much about the techniques for me the mood and the expression on the photo is more important than exposure or color balance.

MDLF: React to the statement "Turning a semi boring color photo to black and white magically makes it more interesting"
CS: Unfortunately since social media it is a way people try to get more out of their semi professional work but I guess the era of filters is coming to an end. For me black and white is film and not a colour conversion.

RE: Lilly

What made you think Lilly would be good for MDLF?

CS: Cause Lilly is a really authentic self confident woman who really knows what she wants and works hard for it and the most Important she is true to herself and her attitude.

MDLF: How did you two meet?
CS: A common friend introduced us.

MDLF: What was the thing that sparked the thought "we need to work together on something"

CS: You [Masculine de La FEMME] told me about your project one year before and I checked out your page. That was when I realized Lilly is perfect for that.  She has great expression with her body as a dancer, is self confident cause she is confident with herself.  I also know your styling, in which you truly have  a great gift to select fashion that supports a persons  mood and doesn't  dominate the shoot.

MDLF: Where can we view more of your work?
CS: Chrissinger.com

Professional Dancer, Lilly Leithner

Photography by Chris Singer all shot on medium format

Art Direction and Wardrobe Styling by Monica Reyes

Featured Brands : Everlane, Sugar Candy Mountain, & Other Stories, Radical Yes Shoes, K37HER, Sue Wong

Location: Echo Park, Los Angeles California

Interview with BUCKLEY

MDLF: What is your name?

B: Buckley

MDLF: How did your artist name come about?

B: Buckley is my family name. Many friends several years ago started affectionately calling me by my last name and after awhile of being introduced that way, I began to introduce myself the same. I also celebrate using my family name as a way to bring legacy to my whole family and celebrate my lineage.

MDLF: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

B: Elemental

MDLF: What was your upbringing like? 

B: Humble. Raised mostly by my mother but close to my father and siblings. We moved a lot, never at one address for more than two years. Growing up, I experienced all walks of life, from urban, suburban to rural. I was feisty and quite rebellious. I went to 10 schools and allowed myself to radically change identities upon entering each new school. I liked to embody different character traits and shape-shift for extended periods to get to know life from that perspective. I wrote a lot of poetry and loved making new friends. My family didn’t have much money but believed in loving one another and laughing hysterically, so things were alright. 

MDLF: Is there a specific artist that inspires you? Dead or alive. And why? Has this person influenced the way you apply yourself in art?

B: If I had to pick one person, I’d say Martha Graham. She was a choreographer, dancer, cultural ambassador, and profound thinker who took traditional approaches to movement and performance, and boldly reconstructed them to insist on expressing more of the rawness of the human experience. Graham has influenced the way I think of and relate to my work. Her seventy year career was chock full of so much innovation and brilliant collaboration, which excites me for the prospect of a life long quest of developing my practice. I also quietly identify as a choreographer of lines, my inanimate figures as my dance company, so I feel a kindred calling with Graham to create story through the depiction of universally evocative movement.

[meta] morphosis

Art Direction : Monica Reyes

Filmed by : Dan Monick

MDLF: The greatest things in life - what brings you joy?

B: The feeling of liberation, especially experienced when traveling or exploring something new. The feeling of a job well done. Watching dancers, shadows, and windows. Old and ornamental architecture. Secret cities. Love that lifts, illuminates and expands. Being whispered to. Long days in libraries. Eating with my hands, with my friends eating with their hands. Unstoppable laughter. Resonant conversation. Walking in forests. Riding trains. Getting carried away. Night swims. Morning walks. Epiphanies. And of course, drawing, painting and sculpting.

MDLF: When did you first identify being an artist? When did you start painting? 

B: I started identifying as an artist in 2011 on a trip through Europe. At the time I was traveling with a friend, playing shows/writing a new record for our band. During the trip I was keeping a diary I called the "ant-i journal" meaning I wasn't using the first-person perspective in order to keep a more narrative account of our journey. Writing a story-like tale of the trip instantly lead me to make drawings and explore visual storytelling. Between taking in so many new sights, and experiencing more of my own internal visual world, I started to get the feeling like drawing was going to be a new leader in my creative output, although I still wasn't sure if I could claim to be an artist as this visual world felt so new to me. I was already identifying with so many other creative outputs and wasn't sure how many one person was allowed to claim at a time. At the end of our travels, I met a group of artists who shared a gallery/studio space in Barcelona. Each of them was highly eclectic and creatively explorative, expressing through endless forms and using their space as a platform to share and exhibit everything from performance to experimental events to fine art. I felt a kindred likeness to this group. They were living proof of artist as pure creator. By example, they were an invitation to release from limiting association to a single expression, and it was then that I opened to the greater identity of Artist: one who follows the creative carrot into whatever rabbit hole it may lead them, for the sake of great discovery at any cost. I returned from that trip and immediately rented my first art studio in SE Portland and I've made visual work everyday since. It took me several years of developing my visual alphabet to finally enter the realm of painting in a way that felt "right" to my hand. For many years, I had a strong distaste for the unfamiliar transition from pen-tip to brush work. I can only safely admit to "starting painting" in 2016. Those were the first moments where it clicked and now that it's clicked, I crave it and long for it endlessly. In 2018 alone, as of mid march, I've already made two murals and six large scale canvas works, and now, with enough consistent output, I feel I can safely identify as a 'painter'. But there was a lot of faking it until I made it there.

Emergence

Scroll No. 1 of series: On Modern Tribal Values | 38 x 60 in. | Acrylic on Cotton | 2017

Photo by Clifford Usher

MDLF: Can you give a bit of info on your creative process? Where does your mind go, what is your creative space like, what are your go-to-tools, when is a piece finished?

B: For me, I imagine a lot of my process is quite backwards to trained artists. I never studied, so I'd say in general my process is a trial-by-fire approach, in which nothing is right or wrong, everything is started automatically, and it is simply finished when I stop. It is all gut-based, movement work, more similar to speaking or dancing. The movement or phrase is complete once the point has been made, and that feeling is a seemingly obvious one. That said, I can admit to this type of working as a bit of a defense/protection mechanism because I never want to experience the sort of suffering that an artist goes through to feel that something is truly 'complete'. I make work in a sort of fluid rhythm the same way a composer works within time signatures. There is a natural placement of notation within measures, and my hand moves in accordance with its own beat. My mind is a separate and autonomous entity, I let it move naturally, whether that be erratic or placid, my hand is the conductor, not my mind. My mind finds its way back to rhythm via the steadiness of my hand. When I try to use my mind to direct my hand, I find myself confused and self-conscious, so I do everything I can to get out of the way of my thinking and let my expression act itself out as it wishes. My go-to tools are always ink-pen and mixed media paper. Most everything in my work originates from drawing and written word.

“Love At Length” Mural

24 x 100 ft. | The Banks - Downtown Los Angeles | 2018

Photo by Sarah Lesher

MDLF: Did you go to art school? If so, what are your thoughts on its affect on your art and process, Would you recommend it for others? 

B: I did not study formally, but I do not necessarily think that others shouldn't. My mind is set-up in a pretty anti-authority mode, so I'm not a very strong student in an institutional setting. That said, I am feverishly curious and constantly conducting my own research on whatever inspires me. My thoughts on school are to pick a place for the mentors and facilities that will best expand your practice. I would love to sneak past undergrad someday and go get a masters somewhere with influential professors.

MDLF: Can you describe your first painting/mural that defined your style of painting.  How about your favorite mural, how long did it take, what was your process, and where can we see it?

B: My first painting and mural that defined my style both happened this year (2018). They are both the first painted works which resonate within me as having that sweet spot of exact desired expression and a truly satisfying technical quality. The process of painting (and probably why it took my stream-of-consciousness self so long to comprehend) is one which requires some amount of premeditated design and technical planning. The secret to this is finding some process that simplifies that period, making an conceptual idea as easy to execute as possible. Once I found the best way to start larger scale paintings, I can lean into trusting a method and the work comes out quite quickly. My current favorite mural took 5 days and it is at The Banks LA, a great, up and coming compound in Los Angeles' Chinatown.

View fullsize

Mutualism

Scroll No. 2 of series: On Modern Tribal Values | 38 x 60 in. | Acrylic on Cotton | 2017

Available in Print Here

Photo by Clifford Usher

MDLF: When we look at your our paintings, we translate them as intimate, empowering, and unifying. They are like bodies of women flowing kinetically and intermingling with one another. There is a touch of communication, oneness,  a space of universal understanding and the desire to be understood. We see an intellectual evolution. Your color palette choice is warm earthy tones that feel welcoming, nurturing, and safe. Can you describe what these paintings are to you? How do they make you feel? How would you like others to feel when they look at your paintings? 

B: The way you see and describe the work is exactly how I wish them to be felt. In general, I wish for people to look and deeply feel. If that much is happening, I feel satisfied. It is not as much what one feels when looking, but if one feels. The paintings and drawings to me are teachers. They remind me of the softness within me, around me. They are all my secret longings and celebrations for touch, embrace, connection. They are solutions, they are what I want to see more of in the world.

MDLF: What does Masculine de La Femme mean to you? How can you apply this meaning to your art or lifestyle?

B: I read it as Masculine of the Woman, so my initial instinct is that it's about the alpha female. The glory that is watching the ambitious, confident, independent, majestic, motivated woman work her magic. The women in my work are unapologetic in their expression. They are solid in their fluidity and fierce in their grace. My work speaks on masculine/feminine harmony and uses a lot of androgyny to explore the human experience both beyond gender, and with gender in a state of balance. 

MDLF: If you could sit down with your younger self, what would you say?  What learning experience can you share with young women looking to be an artist or figuring out where they are needed most?

B: It’s hard to select what I would say to my younger self as I feel I’m in a place where all my supposed missteps have lead me exactly where I am, which is exactly where I want to be. But I have things in general I would say to young women and burgeoning artists. First, try on whatever modes of expression you feel called to with no initial attachment to becoming the best at it. Try and try and try everything, fearlessly. When you find something that you love, you will know it, and it will know you. Give your time to it. Do it everyday. Let it make itself through you. It will not always look the way you want it to at first, but you will still feel called to it. In the beginning, don't worry about how it looks, just show up for it everyday with a mindset of pure exploration. When you're not doing it, think of it. Imagine doing it. When life around you gets hard, go to it for solace. When life is joyful, bring it your celebration. Develop a relationship to it rather than seeing it as who you are, this will help you love it like a dear friend and stick with it through thick and thin. At some point, after thousands of hours of giving it your time, you will not only have a deep root to your center, but also a life made richer with the gift that only pure dedication can offer. And everything you have sacrificed or accomplished will harmonize into a great hum of peace within you. 

MDLF: Where can we view more of your work?

B: My website is buckleynow.com and instagram @buckleynow

Buckley Interviewed by Masculine de La FEMME.

Photos in 35mm film by Dan Monick

Video Portrait filmed by Dan Monick + Wardrobe Styling & Art Direction by Monica Reyes

Interview of Gallerist, Curator, and Publisher : MIYUKI KAWABE of Commune Press + Gallery

MDLF: What is your name and where do you live?

MK: My name is Miyuki. I live in Tokyo, Japan

MDLF: We'd love to hear a bit about your background. What lead you to this place where you are now? 

MK: I don’t know what exactly lead me to this place though I just know I’m now in the place I am supposed to be. I was born in a very rural area,  a small village and never enjoyed my life when I was a kid. I always wanted to go out to a city like Tokyo, and when I was maybe 11year old, I started to feel like I wanted to go abroad to see and experience the life outside of Japan.  I had never felt like I was at home, in that village.

So when I got in high school, I decided to become an exchange student and went to the high school in Georgia, U.S. for a year and that year made me grow so much.

After graduated University, I earned $10000 as working day and night (maybe I slept only 3-4hours a day for 3 months) to go to NY for studying graphic design. When one year passed, I realized NY is not the place for me and went back to Tokyo and somehow I joined an all-girl band and started to tour the world as the bass player for 5 years.

Before running “commune”, I’ve never thought about or wanted to run the gallery or never got into Art so much, but my friend, former owner of “commune” told me she wanted to quit this and was looking for someone who could take over “commune” and I just said “ I do” because that time I didn’t have a job and had plenty of time after leaving the band. Then I became the gallery manager and director.

MDLF: When did art first speak to you?  Was there an artist, place, or memory?

MK: I’m not sure if art has ever spoken to me, but I just do remember that I loved drawing and painting, also doing calligraphy when I was a kid because I could just get into my own zone, enjoy the space and colors on paper or canvas, and feel the texture of the pencil and paper whenever I was doing those and didn’t have to worry about other things.

Commune Shop

MDLF: What is Commune?

MK: We “commune” run small publishing label called “commune Press” and also does curating and organizing art shows to introduce undiscovered and promising artists to as many people as possible all around the world.

MDLF: When did Commune begin? 

MK: I took over “commune” from my friend in the Spring of 2011.

MDLF: You started publishing artist's books & zines and producing merchandise.  Can you share with us your creative process?  How do you find the artist?  What types of artists speak to the aesthetic and vibe of Commune?

I find the artists on instagram sometimes but now we have become good friends with several artists whom we worked with and they introduce their friends, great artists to me and so on.

I usually get a crush on the artists who are  really into what they are in love with and what they are working on, like kind of nerd type maybe. I just always love to listen to what they are into at the moment.

MDLF: What are Mondays vs Saturday's like for you? Can you tell us about your day?

MK: To me, Mondays are more relaxing since “commune” opens the shop on Saturday and Sunday, so Saturday morning is usually busy for preparing to set and organize the shop.

I usually wake up around 8am and have a coffee and breakfast with my husband Shuichi. After Shuichi leaves home for work, I start e-mailing, mostly artists while doing housework. I like to eat lunch at home so usually go to commune shop/office after taking lunch in the afternoon and dispatching the orders from commune’s online store and doing other stuff.

Around evening I go back home and cook dinner and after dinner, I do some PC work, like designing new zines and merchandize with Shuichi till late night.

MDLF: How do you balance your everyday life doing the work as an art entrepreneur? (Yeah, we just gave you that title by the way, like it or not) 

MK: I quit separating  private and work. I did learn in the past a few years that what I do in my private time all connects to what I want to do for work. Music, books, movies, comics, traveling and even meeting and talking with people all connects with what I am working on.

MDLF: What was something you feel you truly worked very hard to achieve? 

MK: Continuing to run  an independent gallery(commune) for 5 years in Tokyo.

Do you have a specific artist that inspires you? Dead or alive. And why? Has this person influenced the way you apply yourself to art?

MK: I don’t really get any inspiration from the artists who don’t live on this age because I never meet them and I can’t get their real words in real time.  I have been inspired and influenced by all the artists I’ve ever met and worked in my life.

MDLF: What is something you haven't done before, but would like to try?

MK: Probably giving a birth.

MDLF: What advice can you share with us?

MK: Live in your moment :)  Anything good or bad happens now whenever, wherever you are.  So just live as hard as you can.

MDLF: Do you have a favorite quote?

MK: “(Even if something bad happens) it’s not world’s end.” by my U.S. history teacher when I was exchange student in Georgia.  He told me that words when I was crying in the classroom and felt hopeless because I hadn’t been able to get along with my homestay family and they tried to send me back to Japan.  And when I got these words from my teacher, I felt at ease.

MDLF: What are your favorite three books?

MK: None specifically, but I like the books of Haruki Murakami and Torey Hayden.

MDLF: What does feminism mean to you? 

MK: Encouraging all the women that they can do anything they wish.

Sep 2017, Lilian Martinez <bfgf> Exhibition Clay Architecture at Paddlers Coffee, Tokyo

MDLF: Would you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

MK: Maybe not. I’m too lucky (?)  that I’ve never felt “looked down” or “violated” or like I “can’t” because of that I’m a woman. But I support feminism but I cannot say that I am.  I think I don’t have enough knowledge or experience to say that.

MDLF: What are any current social or political issues in Japan that are concerning to you?

MK: Getting too domestic, especially the young generation. We say Galapagosization. That has been an issue recently. They don’t listen to foreign music, watch oversea movies, get any interest in foreign culture and never go outside of Japan.  It’s comfortable to stay in Japan for them and just keep up the things only around them. 

MDLF: Would you do something in your work to help change that? If so, how?

June 2017, Clint Woodside × Dan Monick Photo Exhibition"Vineland"at VOILLD, Tokyo

MK: Through the activities of “commune” and the shop, we’ve kept introducing foreign artists as well as Japanese artists and showing and selling the zines and books that I found outside of Japan. It will let young people have a chance to see the things NOT of/from Japan so that they can realize that Japanese culture is not only made in Japan, is actually made in the world.

MDLF: What's on the road-map for you and Commune?

MK: We are planning to re-open the gallery near future:)

MDLF: For those who want to come out and visit, where are the first three places we should absolutely check out first?

- Shop commune :)

- Shake Kojima (Salmon restaurant / Japanese drinking bar )

- Uobei (Sushi Train)

I think the Japanese are especially proud of our food culture.

May 2017, James Concannon × Alex Patrick Dyck Exhibition "Rose And The Lion" at Midori-so, Tokyo

Featured Artist Interview of Floyd Zion

MDLF: What is your name?

My name is Floyd Zion

MDLF: Your artist name is Floyd Zion, can you tell us the story behind this?

FZ: The name comes from a high school nickname, I started calling myself Floyd because I could fight with the best of em but I still thought I was pretty lol. Then my friends started catching on to it and call me that. Zion comes from many things, but mainly Lauryn Hill her song is named Zion and she made this beautiful song for him titled Zion. One day while listening I was thinking about the name and Mt. Zion from the Bible and added it to my name, cause I feel like Floyd is on a never-ending journey to reach Zion which is peace of mind. 

MDLF: Walk us through your journey starting with your upbringing : 

FZ: I’m of Nigerian descent, so my parents had me moving around a lot from California to Nigeria, then back to Houston, Tx where most of my upbringing happen. My parents raised me to have a lot of pride and confidence within myself, and I think I’m just realizing how that shaped me today. Throughout my life I’ve always been active, mainly in sports, but I had a couple bedroom concerts when I was 9,10 yrs old lol. I was the first Tri-Athlete in my high school, but when I became a senior I was no longer passionate about sports, I wanted to create something more real for myself, then music came.

MDLF: How long have you been playing music, when did you first discover music?

FZ: I picked up the guitar during my senior year of high school. I remember watching the 2009, I believe, MTV awards, and paramore, one of my fav bands, lead guitarist, Josh Farro, hit a solo and the audience raced to him and went crazy. I told myself I gotta do that one day, so I played the guitar for 6hrs everyday for the rest of my senior year. I didn’t start recording til I got to college and hooked up with the homies. 

MDLF: Is there an instrument that speaks closely to you?

FZ: The guitar is my first love when it come to music, but lately the drums have been speaking life into me and it’ll probably be the next instrument I pick up!

MDLF: When writing songs, what is your creative process? Where do you begin?

FZ: My creative process is random, but it usually starts with the smallest thing, one word, a sound one melody, etc. And if it’s fire enough I desire to take it further and create from that point. After the initial idea, I enter sort of a trance of focus, I don’t know where I go or what happens in that moment, but I come out with a record, and it’s complete. I’m still tryna catch myself in that trance so I can figure out what my “formula” is.

MDLF: When is a piece finished? 

FZ: A song is usually complete, from a creative standpoint, after I leave that trance. I don’t control when it’s finished I can just feel when it needs more and when it’s just right, and I leave it at that. It then has to go through a whole refining process, but that’s all technical. My feelings are fully defined by then.

MDLF: How do you balance your everyday life doing the work as an artist/

FZ: Man I’m still learning how to balance everything. Being an mechanical engineer, being a musician, signed model, boyfriend and a regular person all at the same time. I don’t think I have an answer for balance or I’d be at peace, and I’m far from it.

MDLF: What was something you feel you truly worked very hard to achieve?

FZ: I work hard and fast on most things that I do. But music is where I’ve but my hardest and most consistent work. It wasn’t easy coming out here from Houston to be in a better position but I did it all for music.

MDLF: Do you have a specific artist that inspires you? Dead or alive. And why? Has this person influenced the way you apply yourself in art/music?

FZ: Kid Cudi inspired me and still does, Michael Jackson was my first inspiration in life. These guys are both swaggy dudes that were just themselves and ppl gravitated too. I take both of them into the studio with me. Michael it’s mainly style, I think our music is worlds apart but my persona very Michael. Cudi gives me actual music influence, his darker sounding tones, mixed with strong melodies.

MDLF: What is something you haven't done before, but would like to try?

FZ: I’d say fire a gun but I recently did that, lol. But I want to travel the Europe and just catch a vibe out there and work in studios out that way.

MDLF: We are so happy to have you here as our first male artist for Masculine de La FEMME. From your perspective, what does Masculine de La Femme mean to you? 

FZ: Man I’m honored to be in this position with Masculine de La FEMME, I’ve been subscribed before being featured. To me I love how is represents women from different walks of creation, it’s like a space of freedom, which is needed, publication have always had to power to validate/invalidate issues, I think it’s dope FEMME can tackle feminist and civil right issues creatively. 

MDFL : Would you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?

FZ: No, only cause I don’t want to disrespect those on the frontline fighting for woman rights, but in my heart I am, cause I don’t stand for discrimination of any kind, especially against Africans or females.

MDLF: What are any current social or political issues that are concerning to you?

FZ: A big social issue for me right now is shedding light on who’s a real creative and who just has a following and smokes weed.

MDLF: Would you do something in your art/music to help change that? If so, how?

FZ: I def use my artistic platform to address this issue, whether in song or on media I am challenging to title creative sonically to push creativity further so it’s not so easy so wake up one day and say I’m a “musician “ no offense to that person, but just more respect to those who bleed for keeping the world interesting.

MDLF: What's in the road-map for you as a musician/artist? Any upcoming shows?

FZ: 2018, is all about consistency, create, release, perform, repeat. I released my first song for Jan ‘SaucinSaucinSaucin ‘ out now on all music platforms, and had my first show at The Viper Room. Do the same thing for feb, which I’m prepping now!

MDLF: Where can we see your art / listen to your music?

FZ: You can find at Floyd Zion and that’s on everything, SoundCloud, apple, Spotify, insta, that’s on everything haha. My new song ‘SaucinSaucinSaucin’ is my latest joint, but more real soon! ️

Floyd Zion Interviewed by Masculine de La FEMME.

Photos in 35mm film by Dan Monick, Digital by Monica Reyes. Video Portrait filmed by Dan Monick. Wardrobe Styling & Art Direction by Monica Reyes

Maria Clara Macrì - Featured Artist from Italy, Reggio Emilia

We first discovered Maria Clara Macrì through social media. We are always looking to get different perspectives from around the world and were excited to see this work coming out of Reggio Emillia, Italy. We were particularirly drawn to Maria's raw and honest work and loved getting her perspective on Feminism, gender, nudity, and art. She is an advocate for body positivity and is very driven in her studies and observations regarding the roles gender, sensuality and nature play in our lives. We also love her photography. 

MDLF : What is your full name and where are you from?

I'm Maria Clara Macrì and I'm from Italy, Reggio Emilia. 

MDLF : Tell us about your upbringing and your journey leading up to your research about gender?

MCM : At the age of eighteen I moved to Bologna to study Contemporary History in which I’m graduated, then, after a period of traveling around Asia,  I moved to London for two years, then Napoli for three years, and now I’m back in my hometown. 

When I was a teenager I started writing short stories about woman, sisterhood, and sexuality, as a self-analysis of my personal feelings, because I was and I am attracted to men and women.  During my studies in the universities, I started to do  personal research about gender and sexualities, focusing not only on the history of the Feminist and Women movements but also on a more philosophical and literary approach, from Simone de Behaviour to Virginia Woolf and so on. 

MDLF : Was this when you first discovered photography?

MCM: Yes.  I discovered my interest in photography, using my friends cameras, as I didn’t  have one and the phones were just only telephones. Two months before I moved to London, I finally received my first Nikon as a present. 

I quickly  understood that the medium of my research could be photography, the perfect link to analyze myself and society in a concrete way. 

MDLF : Why do you photograph women and what is your creative process or approach?

MCM : I started stopping strangers in the street, mostly girls, on the bases of my emphatic intuitions, asking them if they wanted to help me in my research about the genderless expression and way of life. During the first shooting sessions I started speaking with them about my research and my opinions on the liberation of our bodies outside the gender limits. I told them to be free to express themselves in the most natural way, as it was our timeless space in which to be completely wild, to re-discover that natural and pure energy that is inside us all, the masculine and feminine. I do this kind of liberation process every time I shoot, for me and for my subjects. When my subjects are naked, I’m naked too, and often I let them shoot me as well, because I believe that if I want their real natural expression, I also must be able to give my truest self.

MDLF : A lot of people feel that nudity is always sexualised. Can you tell me a little bit more about the nudity in these series? (But, who cares what people think, right?) 

MCM : I don’t sexualise nudity, I believe nudity is the truth, naked we are all the same and all different, it is a principle of equality. There is nothing more banal and at the same time mysterious and magical than our naked bodies. Sensuality is a big part in my photography because I try to find a gender-less expression of the sensuality, it means that natural sensuality does not come from the main stream idealology, pornography, or the machismo point of view - which easily contaminates our expressions - the sensuality that comes from nature, is the same sensuality of flowers and plants. 

MDLF : When did you have your first feminist awakening?

MCM : When I was taking my photography-portraits sessions I realised more clearly what I’m really looking for and what Feminism means for me now.

MDLF : How does Masculine de La FEMME correlate with this project and what does feminism mean to you now? 

MCM : History has shown that the Feminist movement fought to obtain civil and equal rights, and even now we still need to fight to make our rights a reality and to be fully respected. We now have another mission,  to openly comunicate our natural, instinctive,  internal and external feelings. We must create a new culture together, masculine and feminine, with every kind of sexual orientation.  We first need to remind ourselves and secondly to the others, that we are part of the natural evolution of life. Nature is part of us, so we need to respect each others diferences in every aspect exactly in the same way that we understand and respect Nature.  

It is important for me to go outside gender limits, because gender is what society and culture created. Up until now, society and the culture were mostly dominated by mentalities based on relationship of [physical] strength.

As feminine we see that life not as a strength relationship between us and the nature, but as creation/creativity,  sharing and care, this it means equality, respect and collaboration. I want to believe that this seed is in everyone. It just has to be discovered or heard.  

MDLF : Are you spiritual  and would you consider yourself traditional? Why or why not? 

MCM : I'm not religious, but I believe in the energy and chemistry that comes from Nature. I believe in the Moon and the Sun, in the stars and the plants. Nothing in me is traditional, I choose to live my life celebrating every day, naturally, having time to do it and to create, to find the language and the imaginary in which translate what I think and dream, having time to talk with strangers, communicate, contemplate the beauty of womanhood and humanity, and feel my self in the circle of life, so my priorities are not the traditional priorities. 

MDLF : What's next on the roadmap?

MCM : I started taking photos of strangers, I call Muses,  with a digital sony alpha 7 and the Instax Fujifilm, and starting this summer I shoot on film, with my Olympus Mju, and Contax ST 35 mm. This summer I  decided to spend most of my time naked to experiment on my skin the wild sense of freedom I would like to find in my subjects. So,  I went to the wild beaches in Italy with my friends and photographed this beautiful experience of one week completely naked. For every liberation portrait studio session at home I take some Instax, here is a selection of Instax of the most important and impressive shooting session I did with those muses. 

My next plan is to continue my research, which means finding new strangers who are gender fluid but shooting them in their home or different location rather than at my home/studio. 

Self Portrait of Maria Clara Macrì

Credits : Film & Digital Images by Maria Clara Macrì | Interview by Masculine de La FEMME

Christina Acevedo Interview "Heaven Scent"

We met Christina Acevedo at the Printed Matter LA Art Book Fair in February 2017. We had just published and released our first Masculine de La FEMME Zine Volume # 1 with a press called Cash Machine. She had been walking through the book fair and arrived at the same aisle where we were showing. We immediately were struck by her ethereal presence, beauty, and timeless style. We exchanged a few words and she mentioned she makes films. We looked up her work [see here] and felt that her short films and aesthetic spoke directly to us. A few weeks passed, and we saw her again at Smoke Break at Club Pro in downtown LA.  We chatted some more and asked her to sit in for our portrait artist series. 

MDLF : If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

CA : Student

MDLF : Is there a specific artist that inspires you? Dead or alive. And why? Has this person influenced the way you apply yourself in art?

CA : Bill Viola.  He is an important artist to me because my mom took me to see his work when I was 5 years old.  You are instantly sucked into his work when you step into the video installations. His work is important to me because I have learned to slow down and look between the lines of my video art and find the really beautiful natural moments that I haven't even planned for - those natural to human movement and reaction.  I have also felt so many heavy emotions while watching his work.  The use of themes like time and self reflection in Bill Viola's work has impacted how I make work today.   If you have not seen his work and want to be moved to the core I urge you to find where he has some installations up and check out his work.   

"OK DROWN" by Christina Acevedo

MDLF : What is something you’ve never done before, but have always wanted to try, and probably plan on trying?

CA : To go camping in Iceland... or to build a home in a shipping container. 

MDLF : How do you balance your everyday life and doing the work as an artist?

CA : I don't think about it too much.  I just jump in.  Working freelance makes it hard to balance paying work vs. art making so I kind of just have to jump in when I am feeling inspired.  I have started painting, I make music, edit and write ideas for video art so sometimes I am doing all of those things in one art making session... it's kind of frantic but works for me.  

MDLF : What are any current social or political issues that concern you and what would you do with your art to affect that issue?

CA : Planned parenthood funding /// creating safe places for women //// abortion //// surveillance /// gun control.  I don't know if it is intentional but I do not see how these issues couldn't be impacting my work on a subconscious level.  I hope that if you walk away from my work with anything it is that making video art gives you a voice even if there is no dialogue.  I also hope to inspire other young women out there to just make films.  It is possible despite the fact that you don't see many female filmmakers in the spot light.  But by embarking on video making yourself you will meet other females making films out there and it can be a really rewarding and empowering experience.  You are also bound to learn about many female video artists who have paved the way for styles of experimental filmmaking. 

MDLF : When and why did you choose art?

CA : I don't know if I chose art.  It is a safe and positive space for me to be in within my own mind.  I grew up around a lot of classical music, going to Opera, and art galleries.  It has always been a part of my life.  I have been making movies since I was in the 4th grade.  I started working with metal when I was a freshman in high school for four years... I just never thought I could earn a living or be taken seriously as an artist.  So I would say it wasn't until sophomore year in college when I was working with New York Women in Film and Television (new yorkers this is a great organization - look them up) that I realized I - a young woman - could have a place in the film world.  

Visuals created for Underground Purple video installation by Christina Acevedo // Mango Trice performance Curated by Nathaly Charria

MDLF : What was something you feel you truly worked very hard to achieve? 

CA : Producing and directing my first short film with a 20 person crew. 

MDLF : What was your first job?

CA : Out of college working as a PA on the set of Sherlock Holmes.  (But my FIRST JOB EVER was working at a Bakery in 8th grade).

MDLF : When is a piece finished?

This question is so hard!  I feel like some pieces I work on for way too long.  Some pieces like music or painting are finished right away...  I rarely go back and make changes.  I think it depends on the project and collaborators.  

CA : The greatest things in life - what brings you joy?

Exploring new places

Being a good daughter to my Mom

Making narrative films

Seeing a really amazing movie 

Laughing hard with my partner Kyle

Finding a gem in a thrift store/vintage shop/yard sale

New Camera gear / acquiring old camera gear that still works

Making music

"Heaven Scent" by Masculine de La FEMME

Credits : 35mm film portraits by Dan Monick | "Ok Drown" short film & "Underground Purple" visuals by Christina Acevedo | Art Direction & Wardrobe styling by Monica Reyes | Interview by Masculine de La FEMME

Mieka Tennant, a Heart Of Gold : Interviewed by Ariana Coyle and Monica Reyes

"Feminsim means equality, in every way and every circumstance."

- Mieka Tennant

MDLF : What are three words that other people would use to describe you?

MT : Nurturing, playful, calm.

MDLF : What are three words that you would use to describe yourself?

MT : Curious, loyal, carnivore.

MDLF : If you knew you were going to die in the next six months, how would you live your life differently?

MT : I would live pretty to close to how I live now, with the exception of moving all the ones I love onto a compound; learning how to play the saxophone; and putting on concerts for everyone each night.  

MDLF : Recently, certain human experiences (like c sections, anxiety, depression) have been labeled “pre-existing conditions.” How are these labels detrimental to women’s health?

MT : I find it hard to wrap my head around the health care system in the US being from Canada. Myself and so many people are at at risk and have been punished for the individuality of their health. It's another example of human rights not being protected.

MDLF : What is your greatest accomplishment to date?

MT : Allowing myself to evolve and change, not limiting who I am by how I once was or thought I should be.

MDLF : What values in others do you most cherish?

MT : The subtle care that comes from someone paying attention to another person and their enjoyment in making someone else feel seen and special.

MDLF : Many people are uncomfortable identifying with the world “feminist.” Why is that?

MT : Because it is associated with the feminine getting stronger, which is perceived as a bad thing. 

MDLF : Is your work changing in the current political climate? How so?

MT : In accountability and evaluation of it's contribution. I only want to do work that expresses my heart and fight.

MDLF : What should we be fighting for?

MT : Each other. 

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Mieka Tennant, Co-founder of Anouk Collective

35mm film by Dan Monick

Art Direction | Wardrobe Styling by Monica Reyes

Interview by Monica Reyes and Ariana Coyle

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Masculine de La FEMME short film featured at the Montalban Theatre

Masculine de La FEMME short film featured at the We Choose Art // A Feminist Perspective Exhibition located at the

Montalban Mezzanine Theatre in Hollywood, CA. March 10, 2017

Art Directed By : Monica Reyes
Filmed By : Dan Monick
Music By : Yvette Hammond
Edited By : Sasha Gransjean

Featured Artists : Nylo, Low Leaf, Francisca Valenzuela, Mstr Of Disguise , Chebo, Jamie Scoles , Rachael Larkin , Darsan O Connor