Fashion and Art in New York City:
Fashion Week Highlights and Interview
with Photographer Willie Nash
Olympus FashionWeek, produced by IMG, premiered over 80 spectacular runway shows featuring Spring 2007 mens and womens fashion designer collections. The shows took place at Bryant Park in New York City from September 8-15. We were lucky enough to catch four shows - Custo Barcelona, Duckie Brown, Jason Wu and Zac Posen. In addition to these great designers we caught glimpses of celebrities Diddy, Kanye West, Kate Bosworth, Hilary Duff and others. Enjoy our video of Zac Posen's runway show set to Clocks by Coldplay (DJ Sandstorm remix).
But there is more to come - Spring Fashion debuts continue with BKFashionWeekend at the Tobacco W arehouse, DUMBO, Brooklyn on October 20-22.
Willie Nash Photography Photography
Blends "Metaphorical Clarity" with Brilliant Colors
Willie Nash (WN), a professional photographer and native New Yorker, strives to present his subjects in such a way that they are lifted from the everyday and onto another plane. His images are richly colored and subjects span the spectrum from shoes, handbags, jewelry and other fashionable accessories, to nude models and flowers. Willie spoke to Prime Viste (PV) about his work and what inspires his style.
PV: How do you pick your subjects? What inspires you?
WN: Sometimes I am just inspired by an object I see or find. Other times I am inspired by something I saw in a painting, movie or book. When doing commercial work, I am given the subject so I pick the props or setting to interact with the other objects to add to the story. I am very inspired by surrealist and Renaissance art. I like to see how objects interact with other objects or settings on a metaphorical level and begin to take on different meanings or moods. Those meanings aren't always completely tangible, but a successful work of art leaves you with a resolved feeling. Renaissance symbolism is often more narrative, but I am very drawn to the way artists use objects to tell a story and give a sense of history and future to a particular scene. There are pictures of chairs that are obviously furniture catalogs. But a picture of a lone chair in a stark, darkly lit setting begins to speak of other things: lonliness, solitude, etc. But if you throw a pile of cash on a the floor next to that chair, the picture can begin to tell a different story and take on a whole new meaning. Change the lighting or color of the background and it has again taken on a new meaning.
PV: How would you describe your style?
WN: I often use the sort of symbolism I was just speaking of, and I consider color to be another significant element of my style. I am really attracted to deep, saturated colors. I also almost always photograph from a really straight forward position. I try to keep the camera very "objective" - no dramatic angles that give away the presence of the photographer.
PV: Is there a particular emotion or idea that you hope people take away from your work?
WN: I like people to walk away from my work with two feelings. First, I want them to feel that they just looked at something beautiful. Some art tries not to be beautiful, and that is okay. But I usually strive to make a "precious" and "beautiful" photograph. Second, I want them to feel a resolved feeling. None of my photos have a really concrete meaning such as, "that picture is about war being a terrible thing." But I do like people to walk away absorbing a definite mood and a sense of metaphorical clarity, even if it is, "I don't know exactly what that means, but it makes sense to me." If those two feelings are achieved, I will be happy with the photo.
The photographs to the left are by New York City, soon to be London-based, fashion/art photographer
W. Nash.
