BIOGRAPHY
Kalliope Amorphous is an artist whose primary body of work has evolved into an exploration of the conceptual self-portrait photograph as a catalyst for exploring ideas of identity, gender, archetype and myth. Her work ranges from interpretations of pre-existing iconography to compositions meant purely to provoke and challenge perceptions and first impressions.
Self-taught in photography, Kalliope takes an intuitive approach to composition and lighting and works without the aid of professional lighting or studio equipment. Makeup, costuming, photography, and post processing are all self-created.
Kalliope also runs Black Baccara Perfume Company; an apothecary of handmade artisan perfumes inspired by mythology, poetry, nostalgia and literature.
STATEMENT
“All art is the memory of our dark origins, whose fragments live in the artist forever.” -Paul Klee
I am not a photographer or a narcissist. I am an artist with a camera. I want to push the boundaries of what I define as self and other by playing with ideas of identity, gender, archetype and the myriad ways in which they can be represented. I am inspired and fascinated by all of the subtle variations in mood and character that human beings are capable of. I can more deeply explore these moods and emotions by physically transforming into them for a moment in time.
Self portraiture became a natural extension of my artistic desire to work with photography, coupled with my reclusive personality. This work is entirely self-contained. As photographer, subject, costumer, makeup artist, and post-processor, I have complete control over the resulting imagery, and am also able to work alone at three in the morning if the spirit moves me.
Ironically, I have a hard time identifying with my work as “self” portraiture, because all of these characters and personalities seem to be their own. I just try to give them life for a moment, acting as a screen for them to play on. In the same breath, they also represent loosely fragmented aspects of my own personality, inspirations and affinities.
I work entirely with available and improvisational lighting. All costuming, styling, makeup, photography and post processing are self-created. I shoot digital, yet prefer a more traditional photographic aesthetic over heavily digitized post processing. All effects are created in camera.
I find a powerful link between the written word and the wordless image. The still image is without words, yet is capable of equally as much poetry. There is a paradox there that is quite beautiful, and I love being able to work with it. In a good session, that collaboration will be tangible in the finished work.
My heroes are saints, rabblerousers, eccentrics, sages, poets, hippies, misfits, old folks, madmen, Goddesses and drag queens.
Kalliope Amorphous is an artist whose primary body of work has evolved into an exploration of the conceptual self-portrait photograph as a catalyst for exploring ideas of identity, gender, archetype and myth. Her work ranges from interpretations of pre-existing iconography to compositions meant purely to provoke and challenge perceptions and first impressions.
Self-taught in photography, Kalliope takes an intuitive approach to composition and lighting and works without the aid of professional lighting or studio equipment. Makeup, costuming, photography, and post processing are all self-created.
Kalliope also runs Black Baccara Perfume Company; an apothecary of handmade artisan perfumes inspired by mythology, poetry, nostalgia and literature.
STATEMENT
“All art is the memory of our dark origins, whose fragments live in the artist forever.” -Paul Klee
I am not a photographer or a narcissist. I am an artist with a camera. I want to push the boundaries of what I define as self and other by playing with ideas of identity, gender, archetype and the myriad ways in which they can be represented. I am inspired and fascinated by all of the subtle variations in mood and character that human beings are capable of. I can more deeply explore these moods and emotions by physically transforming into them for a moment in time.
Self portraiture became a natural extension of my artistic desire to work with photography, coupled with my reclusive personality. This work is entirely self-contained. As photographer, subject, costumer, makeup artist, and post-processor, I have complete control over the resulting imagery, and am also able to work alone at three in the morning if the spirit moves me.
Ironically, I have a hard time identifying with my work as “self” portraiture, because all of these characters and personalities seem to be their own. I just try to give them life for a moment, acting as a screen for them to play on. In the same breath, they also represent loosely fragmented aspects of my own personality, inspirations and affinities.
I work entirely with available and improvisational lighting. All costuming, styling, makeup, photography and post processing are self-created. I shoot digital, yet prefer a more traditional photographic aesthetic over heavily digitized post processing. All effects are created in camera.
I find a powerful link between the written word and the wordless image. The still image is without words, yet is capable of equally as much poetry. There is a paradox there that is quite beautiful, and I love being able to work with it. In a good session, that collaboration will be tangible in the finished work.
My heroes are saints, rabblerousers, eccentrics, sages, poets, hippies, misfits, old folks, madmen, Goddesses and drag queens.