This weekend is for you the last chance to see in world the exhibitions of two people very well known by our group members due to being so very active ever since their debut. Thanks to Katmee's keen interest they have had their first chance at all to put on display their artwork.
....Or their smut, as Igor put it!
Igor being all metatextual and cheeky in 'What the hell is this smut', as he looks at 'Hold the Line #5' with Sonia See
They have been wonderful in their patience to answer my silly questions, so without furter adieu (it's ado,I know, but if I don't move my butt finishing this post, it will be farewell time already!), there's Brea Brianna and Igor Romanov (Jeffcosgrove)'s As to my Qs!
- This is your first exhibition as an artist. How did you feel when Katmee asked you to have your artwork on display at her place? Did it feel 'strange' in any way? Were you considering yourself an 'artist' before, and do you feel a bit more of that now after such an invite?
Igor: - Gosh. An “artist?” I hadn’t really thought much about it. I love what I do and want to be better today than I was yesterday. Does that qualify me as an artist? Maybe I am in the sense that I want what I do to be artistic, especially the more graphic pictures? For me, the whole shot has to make sense.
Bratty Brea is a rotten apple in 'Like I care'
Brea: - When I got into Photography 6 months ago I never would have dreamed to have my photos exhibited ever. But I had a lot of guidance from two people in particular. Graham Collinson was a true inspiration for me, and the Iconic Laura Demonista helped me along the way and introduced me to Singularity as a primary phototool. And of course Robert Eroica Dupea taught me about resolution and angles and without those three influences I dont think I would have gotten to where I was ready to show my work in world. It was and is an honor to be asked by Katmee and it's a part of my SL I will always cherish. I never considered myself an artist and still dont, I simply love to capture images and thoughts and express them and project them outside of my busy little mind for others to share and enjoy.
Igor inspired by Partee in 'Topless Tuesday with Partee'
- When Katmee told you you'd have to choose photos for the exhibit, which one (or more than one) appeared in your mind as 'the first' to have a spot in the gallery? I guess that means which picture you are the most proud of, but could simply have been one that has a special meaning for you.
Brea: - The champagne picture from Robert Eroica Dupea was my first and only thought about what to include, I didn't however; understand that I couldn't display others photos of me, so I had to remove it but.. Tickle trunk, and Dragon Slayer and Her Time has Come, are amongst my Favs. Those really show my continuing efforts to learn and understand the value of windlights and The Lumipro Photo Hud, which is an essential tool in any photographers arsenal. 'Dragonslayer' is by far my fav since it was one of the few fantasy pics i did entirely in SL without any editing in photoshop. It was a simple 2d image layed onto a transparent prim and then glow added and transparency reduced to accentuate the dragon. I think I spent 5k making the photo and buying the gacha rare clothing for it but it was soooo worth it to me and I'm very happy with the result.
Brea rightfully proud of 'DragonSlayer'
'Her Time Has Come' is sacred to me, It was during one of my down days when I expressed my wish to end it all and ascend . Being a Bipolar can be very difficult at best, but it certainly helps to get my creative juices flowing. Just have a listen to Amy Lee of Evanescence and you may be able to understand the inner turmoil we suffer from every single day of our lives as Bipolars and how it can help to shape our creative processes.
Lots of feelings behind 'Her Time Has Come'
Igor: - Hmmm. I want to answer that for you but I’m not sure how. They are all my babies and I love them dearly. Some represent a milestone for me in terms of accomplishing new feats, but I don’t recall that there was one that stood out above the others. Many stood out to me that I liked, and I even asked friends to weigh in one what they felt people should see. Sometimes others choose pictures that I don’t and sometimes it surprises me what moves people. When I did the pictorial story with Mandy, there were several shots up against the glass that I thought were so hot, but somehow it was #7, the shot of her riding me on the bed that got so many comments and faves.
The exhibit barely covers the vaste production of erotic shoots by Igor, here in the 'Room Service' with Mandy
People loved it. A similar phenomenon happened with the sequel to The Naked Bartender. After the series finished, I did something I had never done by posting a few choice outtakes that just never made it to the final set. One shot so moved people that it possibly has more faves and views than any in the original set. I was shocked. Perhaps I made an error in judgement on that one.
Igor works magic with Partee in the sequel of'The Naked bartender'featured in the gallery and in the previous interview
- In general, how did you pick the photos for your gallery show? Do you think your artistic endeavours shown at Katmee's have a recurring theme, a mood? And going through your collection to pick, did you get a feeling that you have evolved as a photographer?
Igor: - Well we sort of already started down that road, now didn’t we? Maybe after a couple of years I won’t feel like they change so quickly, but for now, I feel like I take huge leaps every week, so much of it was the most recent pictures. I’m not sure about a recurring theme. I have some friends who are not fans of the majority of my work. They would just broad swipe it all as porn, smut, filth, etc. (laughs) I did get a feeling that I had grown. Looking back now, just two months later, I think I could pick fourteen new shots done since then that would represent even further development in my work.
Brea tickling your imagination on her 'Tickle Trunk'
Brea: - Most of my photos i would have loved to display because every single image is special to me. I think I have close to 700 pics so poor Igor (who has an amazing exhibit on the ground floor of the same building) may have been overwhelmed if Katmee gave me free license to fill the sim with my favs lol. I definitely see an improvement from when I first started but that goes part and parcel with everyone in our community, the level of talent and creativity that everyone displays on a daily basis in the Groups is truly inspiring and amazing. I'm just one of many to be evolving in the photography world of sl :)
Igor 'Working Overtime' to bring you another hot set, and story. Featuring Apryl Twist
- Also on the sim, there's the exhibit of Laura Richards, whose work you are very familiar with. She explored in the past the relationship between 'porn' and 'erotica'. I am asking you not just what do you personally consider the difference between the two, but also, do you have sometimes to deal with the involvement in 'pornography' being a stigma? Have you refrained from putting something in particular in this gallery because 'porn and not art' ?
Brea: - Laura Demonista is a true creative genius in every respect, I only wish I could have the foresight and imagination that she has but I can only be myself and express myself in my own fashion, I adore her for all shes given to the community . My approach to Photography is simple , sex is an art form in itself, whether during the act or while capturing the act in photos it is an art, a form of expression in its most intimate and collective meaning. I always try to make my photos classy and appealing to all demographics, but you will never see me post a simple unprepared shot on flickr just because I want to appeal to the masses , everything has to be an expression of a moment in time, a feeling, or a memorable experience.
Brea with 'My Dark Angel' watching over her (oogling her butt, I believe)
Porn doesnt exist to me, I find the word to be more associative of dirty messy sex and for me there is no such thing. All forms of sex are beautiful be it film or photos all my work is aimed at being realistic and beautiful in every aspect. To me that's the meaning of erotica.
Brea inviting you to 'Make me do anything you want'. Tempting offer! ( I heard that anal is an extra, tho. )
Igor: - We use labels for so many things. Labels are great for helping us quickly identify something we need when shopping. They help us define what we are and do here as well. Labels also have the unintended consequence of ruling out what we really could be all along. Not everything falls nicely under a simple heading. Is this sensual? Erotic? Pornographic? Does labeling it as pornographic cause one to miss a sensual element or erotic twist? Others will always label me. I guess I try to refrain from that because I know it may change at some point.
Igor in 'I got 99 Problems....'. Obviously having a flabby ass is not one of them!
As far as the stigma goes, soon after I published a photo set or two of sexual activity, I was informed by a couple of fashion models that I had met that said they weren’t interested in having me shoot them, even though I could point them to other types of sessions I had done, such as glamour photography. I have never intended for these models to engage in erotic pictorials, but they were obviously concerned, likely for their clothing clients. To be quite honest, it did hurt. I was still new to Flickr and attempting to network the best I could. But the wonderful thing I want to focus on is the warm reception I have received from new friends, some of whom have modeled for me.
Igor in 'Solitude'. Aww.
I feel quite fortunate to have worked with the ladies that I have worked with. I recently looked back on a list I created about six months ago of people I had wanted to work with, and I do say that that particular list has almost been completed. Most have been wonderful experiences and a number of them have become good friends who I talk with on a regular basis. While I endeavor to make them look as amazing as possible when the job is complete, it would be downright wrong not to admit to how good they really make me look.
Igor has collaborated and featured Laura Demonista many times. Here's a candid shoot of her from the DS spring party
- Are you a creative person in your RL too? When you close SL, do you think a lot about what you could make in SL? Any source of inspiration in particular ?
Brea: - Music and thought are my primary focuses outside of SL . My love of Trance and vocal trance music helps to clear my mind and thought process and open it up to creativity. Vocal trance is pure and beautiful , you will never have a negative thought while listening to Tiesto or Armen Van Buren or David Guetta. And in a way that is therapy to me and allows me to be creative and thoughtful in my passion for Photography.
Brea playing 'La Viola'. If all you hear are cat screeches, that is....probably normal?
Igor: - Well, in RL I am involved in both the Arts and business. I grew up devouring music, movies, and all sorts of art. I “wasted” all of my elective classes as far back as secondary school on arts related subjects. Unfortunately I don’t always stop thinking about Second Life when the viewer closes, sometimes to my own detriment. I also find myself caring about the people I know as well from it. It isn’t just a game now, is it?
- What is the next artistic challenge you are going to embark on? Can be something you have not done yet but you really would like to do, or just a particular photo/theme you are eager to explore.
Brea having 'Cocktails Poolside'. I know, many of you just wanted me to stop at the K. Another photo, ok?
Brea: - Since learning photography day by day and getting to understand more about textures in photoshop, I would love to develop my own makeup line for SL. or possibly a clothing line but right now i focus my attention on my career in the SL Adult industry and escorting. Perhaps i will realize that dream one day soon though. As of right now im swamped with work and clients and it wouldn,t be fair to anyone to try to take on a new project :)
Igor: - Oh gosh. I’m not sure what to say on that. I think people can expect to see some new things by me in Aroused, coming soon. Other than that, I can’t quite say.
To end the post, a suggestive shot from 'Quantly English' exhibit @ Katme's, non porn, but still very much Laura!
Huge thanks to both Brea (her flickr) and Igor (his flickr) for the patience and avalaibility through their busy schedule. They already had to suffer through this once, and you can read previous interviews for this blog here and here. Enjoy your visit to the exhibit, and express your appreciation to Katmee, for once more giving SL artists a space to express their creativity. I do enjoy letting the artists speak about their craft, but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and choosing what to put on display is one of the most interesting and authentic forms of communication. In a way, it's what we do all the time in SL!
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