#Interview – Kris POR (CANADA)

This second interview on *Artemporary features the story and the work of Kris Por, a young photographer from Vancouver. His neon-bright colors will lead you to eccentric and fashion-dominated atmospheres. Fragments of pure provocation and portrait of a society worshipping and obsessively chasing the idea of Beauty, for whatever that might mean.

Q1. Summary – a little background about yourself (study, experiences, awards)
I’m an artist and photographer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As a kid I spent a lot of time cruising the west coast and so vibrant colors, graffiti and street style hugely influence my vision. After art school my girlfriend Ashley and I started flying whenever we could, and we still do that for inspiration. She is now my art director and is involved with the production of every image we create.

I studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts and completed the degree in photography, painting, and printmaking in 2010. Since then I have been asked to produce various art projects for private collectors. After some wild experiments using a camera, I started to focus more on fashion and conceptual photography. Near the end of 2012 my editorials started to be published online and in magazines.

I wanted to make my work accessible to the public, so I setup a pop-up studio and hosted an exhibition on Main Street in Vancouver in Spring 2014. Artwork from my latest collection, Bizarre Beauty, was on display and has been shown at several private events since. Right now, I’m working on a new series of large-scale photographic portraits. We’re fucking with fantasy and the future. I like thinking about the future because there’s a beautiful sense of hope attached to it. It’s uplifting.

Q2. How would you describe your work and your style?
Pop art. Surrealist. Futurist. Playful.

Q3. What messages are you trying to convey with your works of art?
I want to give people something to look at and I never want them to look away.

Q4. What means being a photographer in this era?
Buying a camera – what makes a photographer an artist, I think, is being original with how it’s used. Being recognized over time for a unique personal style.

Q5. What would you say to people that think “I could have done that, too!” when looking at a contemporary art work?
They could be right. But they didn’t do it so, what they’re really saying is, “I can copy that”. The artist is the originator and you can never take that away.