Interview with Newcastle-based photographer Ryan Nix, an up-and-coming photographer finding inspiration in the beautiful and also the seemingly mediocre aspects of life. How did you learn to shoot? ‘Trial and error, everything I’ve learnt has been self taught. I decided that if I wanted my life to revolve around my passions and beliefs I had to make it happen myself. The first equipment I bought was an old Canon SLR, some old lenses and a second-hand water housing. I started out photographing my friends bodyboarding and surfing; everything else stemmed from that. Shooting on film fastened my learning curve; developing rolls of incorrectly exposed film quickly turns into a costly exercise’. What inspires you? ‘Everything. My friends and family, meeting strangers, seeing good art, ambient music; Sigur Ros in particular, Ed Templeton, Thomas Campbell, Terry Richardson, Dustin Humphrey, people who are excited and passionate about day to day life, magazines, old people with stories to tell, travelling, dreaming, life changing experiences with my girlfriend like brushing our teeth together, Guitar Hero, my didjeridu and anything and everything that catches my eye’.
Tell us about your solo exhibition. ‘The idea was a collaboration between myself and the two guys who run Sushi and Cigarettes (the gallery the exhibition is being held in). Paul and Josh (the guys who run Sushi) had been interested in me doing an exhibition for months but rather than showcasing months or years of work about a specific subject we decided it would be best to do something different. We decided a week before February that my exhibition would be photos from February. I had the whole month to shoot and ten days to make sure all the photos were ready to hang on the walls. Spontaneity has played a major part in both the photography and overall look and feel of the exhibition. The subjects include waves, people, a skateboarding girl in a rabbit suit, Snoop Dogg and The Beastie Boys, two grown men kissing, travels up and down the east coast, sunsets, black lingerie, beer bongs and everything in between. I’m hoping to showcase the beauty in the everyday mediocrity we are surrounded by’.
‘Some Kind of Life‘ exhibition by Ryan Nix is on Saturday 10 March at Newcastle’s Sushi and Cigarettes.
Also by ANDY
After weeks of packing Australia’s crate with the best of Aussie nightlife, our crate was farewelled in lavish style at the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange send-off party in Sydney last week. We discovered Australia is swapping with Brazil, so we’re hanging out for the samba and cachaça to sway ashore and lead us astray. Lost At E Minor contributor Michelle Wilding captured the vibe of the night and Aussie nightlife with this video.
The AP Tour brought metalcore music heavyweights and a convoy of sponsor vans head-first into a stormy Seattle last night. The Hurley denim reps were rattled; they’d endured a long drive from Utah through what they described as the worst weather they’d ever experienced. Joking around with them before the show I realised how shaken up these guys actually were; hands were still shaking and their laughter was racked by nerves. Read more
NOW: an Analog Moving Picture Project
There’s a great story behind this prog-surf film. Riley Blakeway was an aspiring surf film-maker with incredible talent and a handfull of small film projects to his name. Chippa Wilson was a relatively unknown but amazing aerial surfer without the opportunity to show the world what he could do. In 2009, they won STAB magazine’s Little Weeds competition, respectively taking out the film-maker and surfer prizes. Read more
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I do a pretty awesome impression of a turtle eating lettuce that I may stick up on YouTube someday. Until then, here’s Turtle Eating Things.
Tim Lee’s illustrations are wonderfully intricate and precise, a tangled world of escapism and realism mixed into one. Read more
Sydney indie heroes (in the nicest possible way), The Paper Scissors (TPS to those that know the secret handshake) have made a video for their new single, The Bandit. And it’s good. Damn good.
Located in heart of Louisiana, the Six Flags fun park has lain in ruin since Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in 2005. There had been talk that the park would be transformed into a Nickelodeon-branded water park, but that has still yet to eventuate. Read more
A Paper Tiger is a new venture that launched in January of this year selling exclusive prints by some of my favorite artists such as Jack Long [shown above]. Read more
I live the upbeat, feel good tempo of the new single — A Hundred Hearts — from Philly group, The Swimmers. Off their latest album, People Are Soft, this song is a strangely fitting anthem for the blustery day outside.
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Yestadt Millinery is a New York-based custom, handmade hat company that produces some pretty classy headware inspired by vintage looks but designed to suit modern styles. You can get a made-to-measure piece or make a wholesale order – their hats are also available at retailers around Manhattan such as Anthropologie and The Hat Shop.
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Yes, we’ve all been there: the chinese food from last week that still looks edible amongst the bare surrounds of an empty fridge. But really, we shouldn’t. Just let it be. Or College Humor will expose you! Read more
Nerd-attack! Man, this TARDIS zipper robe is so much cooler than any Star Wars crap people are hawking this days. This is for the true gangsta nerd.
Michelle Blade’s psychedelic artwork
Michelle Blade’s washed out paintings are deceptively simple, her washy acrylics creating psychedelic textures and conjuring ghostly figures from the past. Read more
Cookie Boy’s creative cookie designs
I don’t eat cookies, so good thing Cookie Boy’s cookies are little pieces of art too pretty and cute to eat. Read more
Pitched as ‘Ulterior Motives in Contemporary Art’, Disorder Disorder is running until November 14 at Penrith Regional Gallery. It’ll be well worth the trip out west of Sydney: the Australian, Japanese, American and European cast reads like a warriors of street art roundup and includes Mike Giant, Ed Templeton, Anthony Lister [artwork above], Ozzie Wright, and Jonathan Zawada. Read more
Inside this sea urchin shell is an organic perfume made from grapefruit and basil essential oils. This bottle, designed by Stephanie Simek, is refillable and is packaged in a wooden box decorated with a satin photograph and padded with slices of exfoliating loofah sea sponges. The Honeymoon-themed fragrance is all natural: made from plant-based oils and contains no alcohol or chemicals. We like. Read more
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