Photographer Alexx Mayes on Probing the Human Psyche
Scorpion and the Frog
The human brain is as strong as it is weak, but it is a fascinatingly complex organ. Unlike other species, the human mind can conceive thoughts and ideas that become reality. Psychologists have been studying the human mind for centuries and even to this day, it seems as if something new is being learned about it. Alexx Mayes, however, has chosen to utilize her art to plumb the depths of the human psyche, placing a mirror before us all in order that we may find something within ourselves heretofore unseen. This is her art. This is her story.
Before I had a look at your website and bio, one thing that stood out to me about some of your photographs is that, not only are there a wide array of emotions depicted, but some of your subjects seem to be in distress. Later, I would read that you specialize in “the exploration of the human psyche”. I interviewed twin Ukrainian photographers who seem to be on the same page as you, regarding the merging of psychology and photography. Is this a common thing to do in photography, or do you feel that it is practiced by a select few (or were you even aware that there were others)? How did you come by this desire to explore the human psyche?
I think that exploring the human psyche is a natural response to creation. Anyone photographing people is essentially capturing or creating emotions; thus, studying the psychological aspects of their subjects through photography. I would consider myself to be a rather intense person who is fueled by curiosity, so taking this approach to portraiture has reshaped the way I interact with not only photography subjects but my overall observation of society. That said, my current focus has shifted to technological singularity’s effect on the human psyche. In a world where AI is curating to our every thought and emotion, communication and tracking is available everywhere, and quotidian tasks can be completed with a click; humans are becoming isolated and farther detached from reality. With the current trajectory of technology, this distress will only become more severe.
What type of things sparks your imagination and propensity to create?
Through introspection, I became inclined to explore the human psyche and its vast range. Often, when I begin a new project I create without a defined meaning, I find healing in the process of creation, and I evaluate why I chose certain colors, emotions, compositions, styling, etc. Allowing my creation and introspection to coexist became therapy for me. After all, every photograph is a self-portrait. Once I realized that I was so obviously doing this, I knew my work wasn’t just about getting inside the minds of others, but my own.
I believe that the human brain is such a complex machine and is full of so much potential that we have yet to scratch the surface of what it is fully capable of doing. One day, I had an argument with a friend and he disagreed with me that the human imagination is limitless. As an artist - or rather, a creator of art- do you think it possible to run out of ideas if one could live, say, a thousand years?
For me, in the span of a thousand years, I’m certain that there would be times of complete artistic burnout. I was speaking with a multi-medium artist yesterday, and I was saying that I feel inspired to create but exhausted by the process, and she said, “creativity is a muscle, sometimes you have to let it rest.” On that note, freely combining various genres helps me to not feel burned out.
The reason I ask is despite my beliefs in that regard, I see a magnificent painting or photograph and I how much further can or creativity go. When it comes to technology, we are confident in humanity’s ability to create something new all the time. But in the arts, we wonder how one makes new art without repeating what has already come before.
I struggle with this concept of repetition in photography and ponder it often. Being that photography recently became the most accessible artistic medium besides a pencil and paper, it is inevitable that the majority of people will follow the same rules, lack concept, and essentially make a copy of a copy of a copy. The art is in the intent, process and technical skills applied to the work.
I don’t want to take anything away from great photographers of the past, but it seems to me these days that some of the best photographers are more into “genre-defying art”, as you put it. Why was it important to do this type of photography?
I minored in art history and cinema/media studies, which turned out to be a perfect duality of understanding old and new art. The study of art history shows us what has “worked” in art, conversely, with cinematography being a relatively new form of art, it allows more freedom to experiment. It taught me how to essentially play by the rules while simultaneously breaking them.
Rather than referring to myself as a photographer, I self-identify as simply an artist. Not to be pretentious or difficult to pin, but to have all windows open so I can freely experiment with any medium or style, and thus combine them to create the best representation for my concept.
Most photographers stay within a specific niche, but your photography spans many types of photography, e.g. portrait, landscape, urban, fashion, etc. Why is that?
The diversity of subjects keeps photography new and stimulating. Knowing how to photograph various types of photography helps me create with a more unique perspective. Like everyone else living in a pandemic capitalistic society, I am looking to escape. Sometimes I find that in the dreary eyes of individuals, or in exuberant concert crowds, even a bustling city corner, but when I need silence, I go to the darkest depths of the desert to create astrophotography. That’s the special thing about photography, it allows connection and disconnection equally; therefore, I know if I have my camera I will be enlivened yet equivocally tranquil in my own world. I’d rather be in the world I have created than the one given to me.
Do you direct your models, or are they revealing parts of themselves in their poses? A little of both, perhaps?
The relationship between the model and photographer should be an interdependent relationship. Meaning they should both maintain their individuality as separate creatives, while still being able to comfortably lean on one another for inspiration and guidance. I explain my concepts to the model, clarify emotions and often give them a cinematic story to represent, then I let them experiment within those parameters.
You’re a digital artist as well. Do you think that the art world has been fair to digital artists, or do you find that it still remains stuffy and judgemental?
In the art world, digital art still seems to be considered commercial art rather than fine art. In the world of social media, my pen and paper drawings do considerably better with my followers than my digital drawings. I think an untrained eye believes they are easier to achieve or are “cheating” the artistic process in some way. I try not to let that impede my artistic expression.
There are photographs of celestial nature on your site which leads me to believe that you have an appreciation for the stars and celestial phenomena. What does it all mean to you?
The night sky harmonizes my struggle between existentialism and nihilism. The long exposures seem to slow down time and help me feel grounded. Astrophotography requires the most mathematical and technical skills in photography, so it is an excellent exercise for the brain to understand things like light travel, rotation of the earth, and camera functions.
I do the majority of my astrophotography in the Nevada desert, so apart from stars, comets, and galaxies, they’re many strange phenomena shooting across the sky (mostly military, but there is always the possibility of aliens.)
Finding the most desolate of places is the norm for night photography, but without the preservation of dark skies, those places will become farther and fewer because of light and air pollution. Experiencing all that the night sky has to offer opens up a world of imagination for future generations’ understanding of our universe and existence. I hope that my astrophotography translates to people understanding that this is something that we do not want to lose.
Fashion is something that I’ve only recently started to truly appreciate, since my first New York Fashion Week two years ago. I love the designs and atmosphere of each event, it’s a heady experience. Is couture something that you find yourself drawn to, or are your fashion shots just work?
I absolutely adore fashion! I find it to be the perfect blend between fine art and commercial art. High fashion shows have a rather phantasmagorical appearance with the most eclectic designers and audiences, so for me, I take a surreal approach to photographing these shows. Anyone can photo-document an event, but truly utilizing the energy of the other creatives is what transforms it from work to play.
A few years ago, a woman who I respect immensely called me a feminist and gave me a fist bump. I felt as if I had been knighted by the Queen of England. I sometimes wish that I had grown up being one. Did you at some point in your life become a feminist or were you a feminist all along?
Since my earliest memories, I have always been encouraged to be a strong independent woman, but I was also immensely aware that we live in a patriarchal society. In my youth, I was aligning with feminist ideologies but feared the term as I did not want to be coined an extremist. After some university courses like gender in art history and feminist jurisprudence, I felt more confident in my association with feminism, as with anything there is a spectrum and a variety of sub-categories. As my confidence has grown, so has my strength to be opinionated and speak out about injustice.
Woman: The War on Women is a response to the “Heartbeat Bill” SB8 in Texas. A bill designed to control women’s right to choose before most women would even know they are pregnant. The brightly colored photograph exhibits a woman with blood as warrior paint across her face and is accompanied by slam-style poetry written by the model, Krystal Massey.
I am currently working on a new feminist piece featuring three models, recycled plastic and, a gallon of fake blood, titled Women are not your Property. The work explores the exploitation and sexualization of women for capitalistic purposes.
I find most of your drawings most interesting, some are quite bizarre (the spaghetti and eyeball illustration for example). Are these illustrations random, or do they have a specific meaning to you?
I’d like to say they’re all deeply meaningful, but some of my favorite drawings are solely for aesthetic purposes. I prefer my photography to be deeply conceptual and my drawings to be more spontaneous. For example, I created a photograph titled Anxiety (2018), and in 2021 I turned the ropes that were suffocating the model into noodles surrounding her, added a bowl with chopsticks; and, thus turned my anxiety into noodles.
Reading through your Chronic essay I feel a sort of kinship on the subject where you speak of the trials you were subjected to in your attempts to heal your emotional and spiritual wounds, so to speak. Now, you say that you rarely talk about your illnesses, which tells me that you have done so on occasion. Have you ever spoken to someone who has gone through similar ordeals as you have had to endure, and if so, what is it like sharing something that is such an intimate subject with someone who will surely understand what you’ve gone through?
I am comfortable sharing my chronic health issues with people on an individual basis. Many of my closest friends experience similar ailments, so I am grateful to have such an understanding support system. I have avoided publicly sharing my chronic illnesses to evade being defined by my symptoms. Chronic (2021) was the first time I put my health struggles on a public platform. I created the photographs with a model who is also chronically ill, this was essential for authenticity and interdependence. Speaking about chronic illnesses helps destigmatize and relate to others, so I am confident that I will continue to create works of this nature.
Find more of Alexx Mayes’ work by following this link, follow her on Instagram for updates.
