Aesthetic Hybrid

I’ve always had a fascination in hybrids, especially the ones involving human features. Centaurs, Mermaids, and literally a bunch more in mythology, you name it. I love how there is an evolution, a change, a deconstruction, a modification, all just scattered in the world of hybrids. I find it fascinating to incorporate factors like hybridity in my art-because I believe that I evolve too. We all evolve, and it’s not in a matter of whether you become better or worst. It’s a matter of what you really believe in, and inner confidence and belief.

Just imagine if hybrids exist, I would bet you a billion that either our kind will either study them or put them into exile. It is true that we humans tend to be afraid or curious when there is a “new invention”. Especially when it’s a new creature. Hybrids symbolizes my art perfectly. I’m not the first of my kind, but I take reference and make things like my own.

I’m an art hybrid, artistically you see. Part human(the logical, the sane)-and part art(the artistry). It’s an abstract symbolism, btw. For example, like my playlist is a mixture of mainstream songs that speak to my social side, and the “special” ones speak to my art. If you do see on my instagram, for example, you can see my timeline full of photographs, and I rarely post pictures of me with my friends or family. If you see me on my “photos of you”, you could see a collection full of smiling faces of me and my amazingly weird friends. You see-it works like that. I am half social, half art.

I used to dream with a belief of wanting an all-out artist. Like a 100% dedicated artist. If you were a reader of my early posts, you’d get this. Dark abstract writings with pictures of moving fishes and mannequins, and just all that jazz. Things I don’t really understand up till now. I honestly have a collection of writings of my “unfiltered thoughts” of things I see on the street and how I view them. I used to think that this sense-The Photographic Sense, needs to take over my life. Whereas actually, it doesn’t It’s a God-given gift(Thank Jesus!), it has always been me all along, you see. I don’t need to be surrounded with artists to be an artist. I couldn’t be more grateful to be blessed with a family that supports me till the end, with such friends that love me so much.  You see, It’s a blessing to be an artist in the matter of being happy, of being able to see the world and sharing my thoughts. In being able to give people a shoulder to cry on. I’m human, you see, and that will never ever reduce my artistry what so ever.

One of my idols, for example, Photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, are such amazing artists. Their works has only inspired, captivated, and wow-ed me so much. However, if you do follow their instagram, they post like 90% pictures of their son. These kind of photographers remind me that photographers are people too, and they require the love and passion to create art. These kind of artists inspire me to one day settle down, you see. Because when all is good, art will bloom.

So, I came up with an idea to make a hybrid out of the photographs I took. I was thrilled when I saw Garry(the model) bleaching his hair and his eyebrows. I’ve always wanted to shoot something so white-something so albino, you see. I’ve had a great fascination with the white color lately, and this shoot definitely reflects it. I had ideas of doing something so white it’s just so cold, or out-of-this-world, or sick. However, then, an idea came up to mind. I want to create something that is new(or at least I believe is new). There are different animals with the albino feature. There are horses, gorillas, snakes, you name it. So then, I decided to incorporate them into my shoot, by creating hybrids.

So why don’t I just use props for the shoot? It would be easier right?. I decided to plan a shoot without props because I wanted the hybrid sort of feeling to pop out. Something disturbing, yet tasteful. I want people to actually get an image of how humans would look if they were hybrids. Hybridity only occurs with the evolution of the body, and that this shoot pretty much explains it, by having an over exaggeration and modifications in the body.

By the way, I’m going to make this one right here very clear. I don’t need anyone’s recognition to be an artist. I’m so over those days, needing to speak with people who are “in charge” rejecting my visions and the stuff I do because “there’s a rule”. I’m tired of having to filter the final product of my art, afraid that people wouldn’t ‘get it” and mark it off as weird. I’ve seen it all, rejections, disagreements, people disrespecting The Photographic Sense. All is okay to me, you wanna know why? Because I never cared, you see. I don’t care if you don’t like it-get off my page if you don’t, you see. I’m not here for your approval. Never was there for anyone’s. In the end of the day it’s about doing what I love, right?.

I know some of you are all like “these pictures are weird” in a way that the posture and all that is just weird. Like “why don’t he just use props instead of post-liquify-ing the pictures so much. It’s way over the top, it’s just weird and bad, it’s a joke. I’m totally okay with that, you wanna know why?, because I’m GLAD I’m not some boring photographer who takes pictures of pretty people for test shoots, or to get booked easily by a particular “job”, you see. I’m in it to win it, I never signed myself for a definite commercial breakthrough. I’ve always been here to be the next Nick Knight, the next Richardson, Leibovitz, Testino, Inez+Vinoodh, Klein and Meisel, you see. I want to make something that is so right and wrong that it turns heads. The way pop art took over the traditional art, or the way “The Birth of Venus” breaking the early renaissance rules. I want to be Reinhardt Kenneth and only myself, you see. I need no one to bug around me just because they think my art is not right, because this heart is a hybrid of the art. I believe that, it’s within my possibilities of freedom and art.

So, hey UNIONS!. I think it’s pretty trendy to talk about The Photographic Sense lately, I mean, literally I found out people talking about my art on other schools and such. It’s not I’m being cocky about, it just felt off that way. You see I used to feel like nobody actually reads my blog, and “UNIONS” is just an imagination of mine. Turns out people do talk about other people a lot, don’t they?. Sorry for the depression portrayed above, haha!. Anyways, how are you all? I went to Bali, Lombok, and Gili Trawangan a few weeks ago and it was so amazing! I’ve got a video diary up on my channel if you wanna view, btw!. Anyways, I’m visiting JAPAN on the 26^th of July, and Singapore on the 5^th of August, so if you happen to spot me, drop me a hi! Anyways, give me suggestions on places to go in Tokyo and Osaka, please(it would be awesome if it’s pokemon or matcha-related). Have a nice day, y’all!

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SENSE

PAR.Reinhardt Kenneth

Model.Garry Diggory