Dear Stacy. How goooooooeees it? Wish you were here. -Jacob Stacy Leigh 307 7th Ave. #306 New York, NY 10001 United States
Great, thanks. And you?
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good... Can you put a price on love? I suppose for some you can.
How difficult are the dolls to work with?
dead Excruciatingly difficult! They’re uncooperative, big weight, and test my patience. But the reward’s when a photo hits all the right notes.
What can be said of the relationships you’ve developed with their owners?
are inNot much. Some hate me, some love me; others ons the different. The dynamic’s as diverse as the reas owners decide to buy a doll in the first place.
*Arrested development*, transference, sex dolls, you and your camera: but what really makes each capture “come alive”? makeup I think it’s a combination of several factors: ting and the addition of human flaws, styling, ligh help to and, of course, the elements in the frame which facilitate the story.
Is enough being done to deter folks away from meaningful human interaction?
InterThe day people discovered they could go on the day they net and create a new online persona was the gh shy disconnected with other people. There are enou a matter people, or dissatisfied people, that it was only ships. of time before humans created synthetic relation
Have you ever, ever, ever fucked a sex doll?
I’ve never ever fucked a sex doll. Sorry if that disappoints you. If it helps any, I have a bunch of *other* sex toys.
Are those braces “for-realsies” on that doll? The braces on the doll are actually earring backs with pins pushed through the silicone teeth. Now that I’ve told you that, you’ll see it right away.
What does it all mean!? I think that there are a limited amount of years left in a world without robots. I know that sex doll manufacturers are working feverishly on A.I. And they’re not the only ones. Someday, robots will probably perform menial tasks and be integrated into our daily lives—and I think that sex dolls are their humble beginnings. Besides, Gregory Crewdson uses humans to tell his story; Cindy Sherman uses her own image to tell her story; I use sex dolls.
Grateful for what? Grateful for the inadvertent boost to my career from Richard Prince. Grateful to my husband for being so supportive. Junk like that. But, mostly R.P., I love him!
Can the word insatiable be used to describe these dolls: why or why not? The word insatiable cannot be used with these dolls because they cannot feign enthusiasm. If the word insatiable crosses one’s mind, it’s one’s own thoughts...
(Continued on 101)
Dear Sanghyeok, How are you? Wish you were here. -Jacob
Sanghyeok Bang 118-1 Wonnamdong Jongno Gu Seoul 110-450 South Korea
I’m fine, thank you. How are you? Just fine, thanks. Why B&W (most of the time)? Lots of reasons... One is that I do not want to fascinate people with pretty colors. How do you balance the light and dark of your own life? Balance comes naturally. I do not act consciously to maintain balance. Is the beauty depicted in your photography eminent throughout your life? Yes, beauty is *definitely* important in my life. Who do you love, and why do you love them so? I do not need a reason to love. I feel no need to explain why I love my mother, or my girlfriend. When you can’t sleep @ night, what is it you’re thinking of? Wishing I could fall asleep as soon as possible. Why do we have to die? Death is a natural thing that comes to all. Can you love w/o being loved back? Yes, I can love without being loved back. What scares you? Money scares me. Is it appropriate to thrive on death and decay if it means survival? I do not think it is appropriate to enjoy death and decay, even if it means survival. What’s the scope of time we’re witnessing here? I have never thought about it before.
I feel as if I know you personally through your photography: Am I wrong in thinking so? If you knew me well, you would not have asked me this question. What’s your preferred light? I prefer sidelight.
Dear Tom, What’s new? Wish you were here. -Jacob Tom Hodge 11 Castletown Rd. #13 London W14 9HE United Kingdom
Ah, you know, you know... How about you? Coffeeing it up, dude. When’d you decide: “This is it. This is what I’m doing with my life.”? Jesus, I don’t think I’ve done that yet, man. If I felt like that, I think I’d be some 80-odd years old and on my death bed. I still wake up every morning and think, “Where am I going?” and “What the fuck am I going to do with my life!?” I think most people do, *don’t they?* What do you mean by “exploitation poster artist extraordinaire”? (laughs) It was a metadata tag Josh Hurtado put on an early piece he did about me for Twitch, and I used it on *An evening with The Dude Designs,* which was short film I did about designing the poster for Troma, in association with Astron 6’s film, *Father’s Day*. It sort of tied in nicely to this “Dude” caricature I’d created as the face (or identity, if you will) for The Dude Designs. So I kept it... Print the Legend! How many posters are you @ @ this point in the game? Around 80 posters and video covers. How much of your personality can be attributed to the media you consume? A lot, as that’s my main input these days. I’ve always been a TV addict/media junky, even though I haven’t been watching too much TV as of late. But it’s a whole barrage of films, posters, 90’s wrestling, video games and art as influences. Also, I read books a lot—mainly genre stuff and old
pulp novels. ...To the posters you create? The same goes for that, too. I’m always on the lookout for inspiration for my next project. While I’m known for the classic montage poster art, I’ve been leaning towards creating varied designs recently to keep things fresh for myself and the ever changing market. As a designer, I think it’s important to challenge myself. What’s your favorite movie? That’s a toughie. At the moment, *Alien* is something I’m holding up there as just an amazingly perfect film. I’ve always loved it, and I’m still finding subtle nuances which lend to its longevity. What levels of excess are you hoping to achieve while you’re still young? I’m still hoping to make a big enough break with my work to allow me to die in a Chateau Marmont hotel room surrounded by hookers and coke... You’ve got to have a dream. What’s love got to do with it? Passion is *everything*. I couldn’t do this work without it. It motivates me when times are tough, it gives me purpose and the belief that I can do it, and it drives me forward creatively by pushing me to try new things and take on bigger challenges. When’s the last time you had too much of a good thing? When I upchucked at the horror convention in my hotel... (Continued on 102)
Dear Nolan, What’s happening? Wish you were here. -Jacob
Nolan Chapman 500 River Pl. Dr. Detroit, MI 48207 United States
What’s good!?
Same ole, same ole. With active as an understatement, how many irons do you got in the fire right now? I’ve lost count... (laughs) I don’t really pay attention to any of that. I just create and continue to build.
Damn, 2 shows in a day: What’s that like for your stage presence? They were both crazy. Both held crowds to damn near capacity, so that was a great feeling. My stage presence never lacks, though. That night, I had to perform at one venue and do a beat set at another, so it wasn’t bad at all. I love live shows.
...And you’ve got the Euro tour coming up up with DJ Soko and Noveliss! How gassed are you for that? I’m very excited, man. It’s my first official tour. I’ve done shows out of state and whatnot, but this time I have a full itinerary to follow for about a month.
What do you and RTS got simmering?
We just filmed some visuals for “gusto.,” which is a single off of my recently released EP, *f-ck the hype*. It’s been awhile since Reason and I linked up on a video, so I figured that I’d reach out to him to shoot the last video off of the project. That’s *been* the homie since I was, like, 18.
How do you maintain your synergistic balance between emceeing and production? Good question. I’m not sure. I don’t do much thinking while creating. I just do it and, in hindsight, see its significance. I don’t know. I love them both equally because, at the end of the day
it’s music for the world to vibe out to. It’s whatever I’m feeling at the moment...
How has persistence enabled your success?
I’ve just always been myself. I’ve never worried about what was in demand or what people wanted to hear. I create what I want; and if you don’t want to hear it, that’s fine. That doesn’t mean that nobody else does, though. People are so stuck on numbers, image and bullshit like that. At the end of the day, none of that matters. It’s about the music, you feel me? If you live with the trends, you’re gonna fade out with them.
What’s done on the daily to keep yourself on track?
Staying focused and understanding my path needed to succeed.
Who’s made a significant impact on you without their knowing it? Wale. He’s the walking epitome of persistence.
When’d you first find home in hip-hop, and has that changed in your progression through the business side of things? Honestly, this past year has convinced me that I can really make something happen with my music. As for the business side of things, I’ve always had an outlook on it. I don’t want to keep rapping forever. I look at guys like MC Serch with Serchlite Music and can see that there’s long money in music if you choose to apply yourself. That’s why I have Crate Music Publishing and an executive producing hand in Left Of Center’s releases among other things.
When, where and how has time management come into play? Timing is everything. I’d rather be patient for triumph than eager for loss.
How often is it only right to exclaim “Fuck!”? When you spill juice on your computer table, which is ex
actly what happened to me last night. I was so pissed, bruh. It was a large drink, and I’d barely even started drinking it. I felt like an idiot! (laughs)
In doing you, have you found your supporters to be more true? Indeed. If you support me, you’re definitely a fan of traditional hip-hop. There’s not too many of us around anymore, so I trust anybody that rocks with me.
Dear Guillermo, How’s life? Wish you were here. -Jacob
Guillermo Lorca Pedro de Valdivia 263 Providencia, Santiago de Chile Chile
Terrific, thank you. And what can be said of yours?
Everything’s going exactly to plan. Feast or famine? A lavish and extravagant feast; then a time for purification.
How do I get an invite?
Only if you’re willing to let *you* go.
How often do you lose track of time while working? When I am working on the idea stage of a new painting: I have lost several long nights and early mornings.
How have you lied in order to tell the truth? Perhaps I do not want to tell the *whole* truth.
When you fight yourself in your work is that then apparent to your audience? Yes, I think this fight reaches the public in a way. Some of the work will cause sensations in the viewer, but they will be unaware of its origin.
What can be said of your apprenticeship to Odd Nerdrum? Personally, the experience was difficult due to the lack of social life in our being apart from the city. But it was well worth it. I learned a lot from the sensitivity of Odd. He is very deep.
Have you been wrong in anything you’ve ever ever, ever painted? Of course! Many times. Mistakes are part of the learning process. Often the error has something beautiful to it: making the work more natural; more human. It is very seductive.
Who are the girls?
I think one of the girls is a part of me. They are not intended to be individuals. They are from another world; similar to ours in appearance but with other rules.
Which do you appreciate more: the start, or the finish of each new piece? They are two very different different sensations. Starting gives me
an immediate pleasure, but the finished work gives me much more
satisfaction over time.
Why does everything have to end the same way for everything? I don´t get it. What do you mean?
What makes us more than animal? It is solely our mind, as far as I am concerned. It is the basis
of all our complex perceptions, emotions, soul, etc. I think we are
not much more than another species in the wild, but we are certainly
more powerful and interesting.
How art has aided you along in life? It has given me much satisfaction, despite the sacrifice. It has given
me a different life—one created by me. I have been privileged to feel
the satisfaction of creating beauty and enjoy the creations of others.
Dear Weronika, How have you been? Wish you were here. -Jacob
Weronika Izdebska Kilińskiego 121/123 90-049 Łódź Poland
I’m good, considering the fact that I just finished a major project. It’s time to take a deep breath.
What of yourself is revealed through your pictures of others?
Much more than I thought at the beginning. At some point, I realized that most of the people I photograph bring my emotions into the frame, like they were mirrors. Each person is unique and brings a different kind of energy, but, in spite of all that, in my photography are all similar in some way. Similar to one another, and to myself as well. How accurate do you feel your depiction of life is with your photography?
A lot of my shots are taken during my travels. They show real life situations, the places I visit, and the people I’m traveling with. I also appear in some of my photographs. They’re very close to my actual life; less planned and arranged than some may think. When, where and what are you currently shooting?
I’ve recently finished a new music video for Daniel Spaleniak’s song, “Back Home”, which was shot in one of the most the incredible countries in the world, Iceland. Now it’s time to work a bit back in Poland. Do you plan your shoots in advance, or do you let the shots present themselves to you on location?
Everything depends on the project... I like to improvise, but I also know that planning makes me feel more comfortable, even if I make it completely different from what I initially intended.
What keeps you searching?
A huge need for development. And creation. And change.
How do you guarantee quality results?
I cannot guarantee anything that deals with the vast subject of art. It’s all very subjective. Everybody sees and understands the pictures in their own individual way, and each has different interpretations of quality. While working with people I always try to do my best, regardless of circumstances. How has being self-taught been a tremendous asset to you, your photography, and your development therein?
I’m the one that has full control over my development: I choose its direction, and I am the judge. Are you the same person behind the camera?
The people I work with should be asked this question! What’s for certain is that I *feel* differently. It can only be described as a combination of excitement, tension, and a whole lot of concentration. Afterwards, I usually feel quite exhausted--and even more excited. What’s said by combining nudes with nature?
Nudity is our most honest, natural state. Clothes impose further interpretation. No material interacts with the space as beautifully as our skin does. When did the camera make its way into your hands, and has your life been the same since?
It happened very early. I feel like I’ve always taken photographs. For a long time, I considered it only as a... (Continued on 103)
Dear Emmanuel, What’s your feels is? Wish you were here, -Jacob
Midnight Marauder 1759 Beloit Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025 United States
Eh, my neck hurts and my shoulder is shot to hell, but, otherwise, not too bad. How about you, guy?
Couldn’t be better... How’d you get your start?
I got my start in design about 16 years ago when I got out of art school, but I didn't really learn anything until I got my first job in the fashion industry. I slowly worked my way through the ranks and started hanging out with my sister's boyfriend who was an A&R at Interscope Records. He introduced me to a young emcee from Detroit named Marshall Mathers, and we became friends. From there, I met and hung out with a ganga of hip-hop heads and got to work on several projects.
Is completion a conscious process?
Yes. I've been through a few projects where completion didn't occur, so I think about it a lot while working on posters for important films.
Is hired work as beneficial to you creatively?
Depends on who's hiring me for the project.. Sometimes it can freeze you up. You have to take a step back and kind of forget who's involved and what they might think of the end result.
Of the work you do, what’s the greatest benefit?
The finished piece: In knowing that I've crossed the finish line, and that the poster is out there for the world to enjoy.
How has your perception of film changed in having worked in the industry? It's changed a lot, but it's not the job that's changed me. It's mostly from growing older and having my taste in films mature.
What’s you preferred movie viewing experience?
In an empty theater, or at a quiet house with a diet coke.
How’s your love for film expressed in each new piece? In my time spent during its creation.
How do you hope to accommodate each movie? By giving it everything I have for each project, no exceptions.
Where do you go in mind before each design?
I like to spend as much time as possible doing research on the film or subject matter. That's the first thing I do with every project.
And what’s left to chance?
I like to prepare everything in advance. Chance sometimes comes around and bites me in the ass, which is *not* a great feeling.
When does the work finish just as you’d planned?
It never does, really. You can never plan everything perfectly and expect it to end up the way you'd imagined.
Will you ever get enough?
Gee, I hope not. I love what I do.
ntributors: Graf Photo Co -Mazymaze-, Neron One, +Russ, Nico Skolp, , F E D C B A nid2graff, Doomsday, t’acqua, Painted Trains, t o s a c io g i r en ROA !, , FRANK STB Steve Rotman, fromthecave, Vergio Graffito, GLC, vitostreet, K N A R F, and YOUGUIE. Jacob Grossman loutsider, Thank you. 123 Main St. Anytown, NY 90210 United States
(Stacy Continued )
...that are insatiable; inflicted onto the sex doll. So that would mean the human participant’s the insatiable one, I think...
When are naturally occurring diazepam binding inhibitors, or DBIs, just not good enough? Opening night of my first solo show! Or the entire month leading up to it... To be honest, I have a bad neck from lugging the dolls around for the last decade+. The lead-up to the show was causing a lot of strain on my cervical spine. I’m okay now, though.
Congrats on your *More Human Than Human* show being a success! Whatcha gonna do now? I’m working on a couple new series with the dolls, as well as painting. Like every artist, I have a laundry list of things to do, but there are priorities. And on the top of my list is incorporating a doll into the NYC landscape.
(Tom Continued )
...room last November. Whoever said, “Americans can’t drink,” never drank with a bunch of old horror film actors. Is it your intent to have each viewer see the flick on poster art alone? Yeah, that’s my intent with every poster but, sadly, politics and opinions usually override that. That’s why you end up with a big head on a poster... It’s typically all the marketing people at the studio can agree on. So I aim to extract the core message and elements of the film and create a compelling visual to accompany it. An idealized version of the film, in a way. Is failure an option? No, not if I can help it. There is a constant pressure to perform. This isn’t a job that has a set formula, so it can be quite stressful, and I do start out thinking: “Shiiittttttt! What am I going to do??” Does attention to detail prolong your process often? Yes, I suppose it can. But I’ll work over it to get it looking *just* right. I haven’t missed a deadline through it, though. It’s important in this industry to hit those deadlines
(Weronika Continued )
...hobby, and it took me some years and a bit of a courage to realize that I really can make photography my foundation. It was very soothing when I came to that realization. How has photography made you a better person?
It’s made me more conscious. Thanks to photography, I’ve met many people who have helped me throughout the years, I’ve created a comfortable space for myself, and I have a tool that helps me with different levels of everyday life. Where is home?
Where you feel you belong. The place you feel that you’re a part of; where you strongly identify with the environment. That’s where your point of reference is. I’m constantly searching for my home.