Kristine, MCB's featured artist this week has earned popularity and respect as a photographer by many names. Tonight, as Miss Studio - X, she makes her debut in the art world of Detroit, at The Dirty Show - XI.
Kristine has identified herself as a professional photographer for a while, and had her own studio in New York, before she came to Detroit in September last year. Her 'first love' in the realm of photography has always been Urbex* (Urban Exploration) - for which she'd go into her "Tomb Raider - Mode" to delve into the richness hidden in abandoned buildings. This first started off with a fascination for old hospitals and the humanistic stories that she'd uncover from old patient files - and these dark secrets were what she began to associate with when looking at the ancient, crumbling walls and the deep recesses beyond.
This led to a deep spiritual respect for abandoned hotels, factories and warehouses which still resides deep within Kristine's core. Which is what brings her to Detroit, having seen (explored) much of the East Coast, Canada and even Europe ("the catacombs of Paris", she smiles as she reminisces during our conversation).
"I enjoy shooting latex outfits and vintage lingerie.", she shares, but goes on to say that she has always been hesitant shooting nudes. For Kristine, it is empirical that when an intense focus is being drawn to a woman's sexuality, one does not go overboard and instead accidentally portrays the model as 'trashy'.
"The first time it (venture into erotic photography) happened, it wasn't my intention. I was shooting 'an abandonment' with a model. It was a very ironic shoot where she was wearing a leopard-print catsuit and a mask made of latex and we placed her in an abandoned mill on a leopard-printed kid's tricycle - it incorporated a lot of strange patterns. I look to put into my abandonment - shoot something that has no business being there. So this girl on a leopard-print tricycle was 'weird'. "And she asked that I shoot a little further for her paid site. At the time I didn't know she does nudes for her paid site.I said I had no problem with that and she started to take her suit off. By then it was looking kind of odd because she had managed to get her catsuit off but her hair got stuck in the mask. So it looked completely strange that this girl, nude, except for the mask, was sitting on a tricycle in an abandoned mill and so I really went with that."
Kristine brought out the surreal, dark atmosphere that the image contained instead of drawing focus on the sexuality of the model. It didn't take her long to figure out her perspective on erotic art: "I want the nude to be more of an ornament on a tree."
Kristine deliberates over all her shoots involving models, taking great pains that they are not portrayed in a disrespectful way. She was just as cautious when friends told her about The Dirty Show, and asked around about the quality of art they promote before submitting any of her own work.
This lady likes to go beyond the conventional definition of 'beauty'. On her Model-Mayhem site, she points out that she is keen on photographing the strange - be it people with odd-looking scars or amputees.
Miss Studio - X is well versed in shooting for different portfolios including "pin-up". Tomorrow, she will be holding a four-hour workshop (a novelty at The Dirty Show) to show novice photographers the ropes - everything from interacting with a model, to setting up the strobes for different types of shoots.
Kristine is as fascinating a conversationalist as she is a photographer. When you see her tonight, donned in latex (she PROMISES MCB that we won't be disappointed!), don't be shy. You never know what kind of inspiration you walk away with.
