Interview by Qimei Fu

How did you get into photography?

I’ve been told that as a small child, I would stand in front of strangers who were reading the paper on park benches and stare at them. I have always been interested in faces, bodies, and the act of looking. In high school, I took my first darkroom class, and I fell in love with the process. Technically I struggled, that part never came naturally to me, but I would always feel excited every time I entered the darkroom. Making photos became a way to communicate moments I saw or felt with others.

Can you talk a little bit about the series “Here, right now.” ? Why do you name it this way?

“Here, right now.” is an exploration of perception and the nature of truth and fiction. The images are a combination of found situations and performance woven together. I wanted to create elusive everyday moments that would ask questions. The themes of the images are omnipresent in everyday life but act as extensions of reality.

I titled the series “Here, right now.” because I wanted the images to be relevant to the current moment we are living in when we look at them. It is to remind us to be present and to look closer. The title also allows the project to be ongoing, never-ending even.

What are the things that inspire you?

It might sound strange, but sometimes I draw inspiration from just watching a fly for 5 minutes interacting with its surrounding. I am also inspired by my collaboration with my photo collective. The photo collective is called SCALENO and consists of myself and two other women. We are very close friends and collaborate on photographic projects. I draw a lot of inspiration from working with them as well as seeing what they create in their work. Although our work is very different, there is a similar sensitivity.

Describe your creative process in one word.

Inquisitive.

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

Cooking is a passion of mine and a great creative outlet. I like to bring people together through food, so I would probably want to teach a class on how to make homemade wontons and chili oil, followed by eating them, of course.

What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?

I really loved Parasite. The film felt like a mixture of all these different genres that seamlessly weaved in and out of each other. I liked the unnerving atmosphere and was drawn to the voyeuristic way of storytelling throughout the film.