photography by marcus dawes
INTERVIEW BY MODESTA DZIUTAITE
In today’s back-of-the-Mercedes interview we switch the camera on our resident photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis.
MD: Let’s start from the beginning, how and why did you get into photography?
SJ: I got into photography through my parents. My dad took photos and then I interned for Paper Magazine where they used to send me out to assist all these stylists, so being in that at some point I just decided that I wanted to be a photographer. It was always definitely something I wanted to do, I just didn’t know exactly how to get from taking photos to working for someone.
MD: How would you describe your style of shooting?
SJ: I would say it’s very thoughtful and laid-back.
MD: Tell us a little bit more about your current exhibitions ‘This Charming Man’, and ‘These Things’, what did they stem from and how were they received?
SJ: ‘These Things’ I did for the Exposure Gallery in London. It’s really just a collection of my favourite photos over the past five years, even though I’ve been shooting forever since I went to Parsons. ‘This Charmin Man’ is a bit bigger and it’s basically a project about myself and travelling and finding myself, so it’s very personal. All while moving between New York to LA, LA to London; in the end I broke up with a boyfriend I was with for like forever and because of that it caused me to look at my life as well as relationships completely differently. So with that project I was trying very hard to figure myself out through other people, definitely.
MD: We’ve previously spoken about your love for shooting in London, how does it differ from other cities?
SJ: I think that what differs is the lighting and that effects everything for me. I find people laugh at me when I say this, but I prefer the light in London. I mean the weather is crap, but there’s a filter over the sun the whole time so there are just pretty lights, all the time. I was also kind of artist in residence, as I’d been living here in London so it made sense and I knew that eventually I was going to go back to New York or LA and I didn’t want to leave without doing something.
MD: Any upcoming projects you’re working on?
SJ: I just did a spin-off for the Standard Group Hotels. It’s called ‘This Charming Guest’, so I invited a few people in LA to come and have their photograph taken. Because it’s a spin-off, I asked everyone to decorate the room as if they were staying in it and captured them in that environment.
SJ: Do you prefer shooting real life people or public faces and the fashion industry?
SJ: I love real people in fashion. There are a few of them I find amazing and if I could shoot them all the time I would. I was just thinking earlier, out of all the people I see every fashion week I love the ELLE girls, Lulu Kennedy, of course I love Cat but she doesn’t count as she’s my boss.
MD: You’ve been shooting for the Daily for over four seasons, tell us something that stands out most?
SJ: I guess the funniest thing was when I had a busted foot and had to run about town and everyone thought that it was a fashion statement, it was ugly and bright blue – grossest thing ever, but somehow everyone assumed that.
MD: Now that we’re nearing the end of LFW, what’s been your favourite show?
SJ: Johnny Saunders, I loved it. I just think it was really amazing and I love all the shoes Nicholas Kirkwood has done for everyone including Peter Pilotto (they were also amazing) and Erdem – that was also so beautiful.
MD: Last but not least, what’s the cheekiest thing you’ve done in the back of a car?
SJ: I’ve done the grossest things in the back of a car…apart from hooking up with a boy, probably laughing so hard I peed myself?!
Shaniqwa Jarvis’ exhibition ‘This Charming Guest’ opens at the Standard LA opens on 27th October. ‘These Things’ opens in Tokyo on 21st October. http://www.shaniqwajarvis.com/site/
Mercedes-Benz, whose fashionable fleet of cars ensure London Fashion Weekers get around in style, is celebrating its LFW affiliation with the launch of Voices of Fashion, a daily blog with exclusive LFW updates and interviews with the designers and other stylish sorts who make the fashion world go round. See voicesoffashion.co.uk
