Words & Photography: Naskademini
Why photography and how did you come to the craft?
I’ve always been a creative and someone who loved working with his hands and imagination. Photography simply became a new way for me to do just that and express myself. I was an early adopter in all things internet and web and launched a web design company and when clients wanted images to go along with their site design, I quickly obliged. After a while photography became my sole focus with the goal of creating a legacy that will make me one of the reference points of a new generation.
Beautiful statements or beautiful images, what do you try to create?
I think a combination of both, a beautiful image would always make a beautiful statement intended or not.
Years ago I frowned on the idea of being in a creative renaissance that was compared to the Harlem Renaissance - but today I truly feel that we are in a Black creative renaissance that may be larger. What are your thoughts on that?
I agree, we are at the point in time where the world belongs to those who create it. The gatekeepers have been removed from a certain equation and we are now free to create on platforms that we didn’t create and don’t have to fund or maintain. That type of creative freedom has created a renaissance that may be indeed larger. We all have a voice now.
How does your Caribbean mixed with your Canadian roots guide your work?
My work is informed by my heritage and all of the reference points lodged in my memory since birth. Everytime I click that shutter, a piece of my life or upbringing seeps into the final creation.
My parents giving me the freedom to be who I wanted to be is something that is not lost on me when I think about my work. The pressure of being anything else other than myself isn’t present. As Canadian from Montreal, we have a different sensibility when it comes to creating, we seem to be our own time without having the pressure of being stuck in a rat race. That does wonders for the mental health of a lot of creatives. The current affordability and cost of living in Montreal can ease some of the stress that comes with trying to make a living as an artist making art.
 |
 |
