I studied Shakespeare at university and fell in love with the costume rather than the language (which was meant to be my focus). Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet was so sumptuous you wanted to reach into the screen and touch the Elizabethan velvets and Jacobean brocades. I have since through fashion styling, been drawn to contemporary aesthetics that draw on 16th century design, colour palettes and of course, romance.

Olivia Hussey in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliette, 1968. Found here.

My Grandmother was my hero. She was a kind soul and had impeccable taste! Usually found in hand-painted silk dresses and walking boots exploring as many new cultures as she could fit into one lifetime. She lived all over the world and accumulated a delicious melting pot of recipes, leaving behind a treasured cookbook. I’m rarely not cooking one of her dishes. In this photo, my grandparents are driving from the Middle East to Norfolk on their wedding day.

Personal photo. 

I felt very akin to Frida Kahlo growing up. My mother possessed a similar zest for colour, painting, appearance, and strength of character. I spent a long time in hospital at 21 years old, like Frida, and felt frustrated by my (temporary) disability. Art was my only outlet which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I refined my cultural references, read about fashion history and leaders in taste-making. I started to build a library of dog-eared photography books which I rely on today when building moodboards for shoots.

Frida Kahlo’s prosthetic leg. Found here.

I am in love with the photographs of Aleksandr Rodchenko. As a representative of New Vision movement in photography he turned simple fixation of the moment into art. Almost hundred years ago he saw the world in the same way as me. There is something magical in this.

Alexandr Rodchenko, found here.

This is one of favorite paintings of Alekandr Deyneka. I love sport motives which are widely represented by constructivist art. The aesthetics of movements are unusually geometrical but at the same time natural. Incredible composition, color compilation, a man and a woman freezed in interesting poses, that small horse toy, all these proves how a genius artist he was.

Morning exercises, Alekandr Deyneka, 1932, found here.

As you noticed before I am not indifferent to modernism. I admire simple forms and virtues play with colors and textures which Reguliani uses in this project. Of course architecture inspires me the most because it is my main profession, it inspired me to shoot photography long time ago and to never stop doing this.

Entryway in Milan, Pierluigi Reguliani, 1960, found here.

I love this photo by Dennis Stock, which is hanging in my living room at home. The mood in the photo totally captivates me- the freedom of the woman and the fact that she’s isolated from the crowd makes it special for me. You can very well sense the era and the new feeling of women being able to be free and strong.

Photographer Dennis Stock, from the Magnum Gallery, 1968 Venice Beach Rock Festival. Found here.

I am in love with Rothko’s paintings and It’s one of my biggest dream to own one:) His way of mixing colours in his paintings always brings up certain feelings in me. 

Mark Rothko (Untitled), 1953. Found here.

I love the aesthetic of Atelier Brancusi, it’s so beautiful. I like that the place is small, and the ambience is very calm and intimate. I often go here to relax if I’m a bit stressed. 

Atelier Brancusi. Found here.

The Two Sisters

I first saw this painting by André Derain when I visited the National Museum in Copenhagen. I had lived in Copenhagen for a few years without going. But I moved so close to the museum at some point that I stopped by, and found out to my surprise that it was even free of charge. I went in and saw the sign ‘1900 French Collection’ which attracted me straight away. They have quite a good collection of Matisse, but what captured my attention that day was this painting of The Two Sisters by André Derain. It is not the sisters in particular I find interesting, but the way the background has been painted very rapidly creating a very tense motion. I remember listening about this particular painting in some headphones and the lady described how the texture of the background could simulate the tension between the sisters. Derain has used different colors in this background, I only use one, but the rapid brushstrokes I took with me that day.

The two sisters by André Derain, 1914. Found here.

The white room

There is something about the nothingness of a white room that inspires me very much. The light and naked feeling makes my mind wonder. All options are open. This might not make sense, but I see things in unity. If you place furniture in a room I then take the furniture into consideration, because they then are as important part of the room as the painting on the wall. In my mind everything needs to be aligned to create peace. 

Found here.

The Kiss by Auguste Rodin

Ancient statues have become my favorite muse. There are a few reasons for this. First I love the history behind these incredible beautiful handmade sculptures. Secondly I am inspired by the fact that both men and women are equally portrayed. In this era they were both seen as equally beautifully and majestic in their naked form. The Kiss was the first sculpture I drew at my visit to Glyptoteket in Copenhagen. A tragic love story where the woman falls in love with her husband younger brother and they both end up being killed.

The Kiss by Auguste Rodin, 1882. Found here.

DAVID HOCKNEY

In 1998, a school art project led me down a path of discovery with the artist David Hockney, especially his swimming pool series painted & collages between 1960 and 1982.

Maybe it was that Californian blue sky colour he used and the idilic world of leisure that drew me in, or the remarkable way he captures and represents water. His creative photo collages were so contemporary for the time.

Countless times I tried to recreate these water scenes and failed.

David Hockney, A Bigger Splash, represents to me the day I realised I wanted to become an artist & a designer.

David Hockney, A Bigger Splash, 1967. Found here.

LEVIS – FLAT ERIC 1999

One of the most iconic denim adverts of all time. The Levis Flat Eric TV commercials came in a 2 part story with that unforgettable ‘Flat Beat’ tune by Quentin Dupieux. This advert single handedly takes me back to my youth, I was 20 years old. I was obsessed with Pop culture! ( wasn’t everyone! ) Britney Spears, David Beckham, Toy story and of course LEVIS. Just like the thousands of other people, I tried to get my hands on Flat Eric merchandise, it was like gold dust. I think this crazy voiceless character, Flat Eric is partly responsible for my obsession with Denim & the Levis brand.

Levis, Flat Eric, 1999. Found here.

FIRST TRIP TO JAPAN

I’m blessed with the opportunity to travel, I love to explore and find inspiration in my surroundings.

My first trip to japan was in 2002, this visit had a profound effect on me. It was like no other place I’d ever been to before and was a 1000 times better than I had ever imagined. Before visiting japan, as a child I’d always obsessed with the illusion that japan was a magical place that was so far away. The closest I’d ever got to japan as a child was visiting Disney land in Florida’s ‘World showcase’ where I purchased nearly everything in it associated with japan with my pocket money.

Since 2003 I’ve been back atleast once a year. This magical place will always be my inspiration, a place that I can never sleep in because I’m to excited to see what’s outside. I could wonder the streets for hours and stumble across something new, I always get lost and to me that’s part of the fun. Japan is a place close to my heart.

Personal photo by Kelly Harrington.