7 minute read
Photography : Deonte Lee
from REACTION
Here's a taste of what's featured in our upcoming print REACTION. Release celebration Sunday Aug. 26 at O'Donovans Pub 101 e. 3rd st. Pomona CA
Deonte Lee
Photo by Melanie Smith
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Deonte Lee
Deonte Lee is a 21-year old student and artist originally from Adelanto, California and currently studying Media and Cultural Studies at UC Riverside and interning for fashion and fine art companies in Los Angeles. His photography, namely portraits and candids of interesting figures, engages viewers with a taste for raw, colorful, and androgynous flavor. I seek to highlight Deonte to further understand his creative process and motivation as an artist because he is a captivating individual full of life and artistic ambitions. Just before I sat with the artist within the vibrant walls of Chinatown in Los Angeles, I asked to take his portrait for the article. What we expected to take no more than ten minutes went on for over an hour as we connected creatively in an effortless manner moving from wall to wall in the plaza. Once we were ready to talk, we sat on a red bench and began our conversation….
MELANIE S. What is your photo editing process like?
DEONTE L. While editing I have found myself guilty of enhancing the image in such a way as to fulfill societies expectations but when I realize I am fucking up I stop. I restrain from retouching the figures in my work because I feel it is important not to play into what mainstream society views as a “good” or “beautiful” image.
MS. How would you define beauty?
DL. I feel like beauty is au natural. I view the body as a canvas. Everyone is made differently. We are all different shapes and sizes and we are all art and we are all to be valued.
MS. How do you feel others, perhaps with more conservative preferences react to your work?
DL. It’s been interesting seeing how people respond. On Instagram, for example I get a lot of followers who enjoy the body. Others who are likely old friends from high school and aren’t into art, tend to unfollow me.
MS. How do you react to losing IG followers?
DL. Not bad. If my work isn’t someone’s cup of tea so to speak, then that is ok. Thankfully however, no one has ever left any negative comments. I’m really grateful for that but I’m equally ready for it when it comes.
MS. How do you connect with your subjects?
DL. I gravitate towards individuals who have the confidence to radiate their essence into the world. I sense creativity and once I approach them they can sense that (creativity) in me as well and it strengthens the entire process. For most of the nude shoots I have done it was their first time. This process is different because it takes gaining a deeper connection or trust with my subject. This starts with taking a whole bunch of bad images to begin with, then showing them one image out of them all that turned out great. This then makes them realize their beauty and gives them the confidence to exhibit it in front of the camera. The beginning is the preparation then it goes through the simmering and then it gets real good and juicy. Then I throw some spice on that bitch and fuck shit up. OR In the beginning it’s all about making them feel comfortable. I’ll take some real ugly ass pictures in the beginning just to like dive into the aspect of shooting.
MS. Your images imbue fashion. What is your connection to fashion?
DL. I’ve always been interested in being a model. When I was younger I would watch marathons of America’s Next Top Model with my mom and thought to myself, “I want to be a beautiful person traveling the world and taking dope ass photos.” I know that sounds narcissistic and vain said out of context but it looked fun. Growing up I would take photos of my outfits, embracing my new found beauty. Before this time, I felt I was very ugly because I’m gay and I felt I didn’t have a nice body. No one was fucking with me for the fact that I’m gay and no one else was. So I lied to myself saying, “I am the unicorn amongst cows,” just to make myself feel better. While going through the process of being inspired by fashion models, there was a modeling competition being held at my local mall. I begged my parents to let me join. After they agreed, I remember having to memorize a script on the spot and I felt confident in myself knowing I had a gained knowledge from all of those ANTM episodes in my memory and had of course, practiced my cat-walk. I was the only competitor able to do both of these things effortlessly and I won the competition. Soon after I knew I had to learn everything I could about fashion and signed to an agency (unrelated to the competition). It’s been a part of my life since.
MS. How would you describe your art?
DL. I feel like I’m still deciding and defining my style and who I am as an artist and why my art matters and why I feel the need to make art in the world and why it’s different. It’s a process I am going through. I’m going towards the route of finding my voice by trying out all things like color/styles and using my inspiration from artists like, Thomas Ruff and Robert Mapplethorpe.
MS. When did you realize you were an artist? How did you respond when you realized you were an artist?
DL. It took a lot for me to actually realize I was an artist. I’ve always taken photographs on my phone but never valued them as anything other than nice photographs. When I was living in Brazil I started to photograph individual’s tattoos. I’d see them walking in the street and I’d ask in broken Portuguese, “Can I take a photo of your tattoo?” They always reacted with confused facial expressions at first but they would always say yes. Still I only valued this as documentation. My freshman year of college I had an internship in San Francisco and it was there that I felt myself drawn to people who expressed themselves creatively in the street. Like in Brazil, I’d ask to take their photograph with my Snapchat and I’d have them sign it. This experience allowed me to realize that I really liked fashion photography and so I began to consider myself a fashion photographer. Fast forward to the fall of 2015 when I was set to study abroad. I traveled to Spain, Ghana, South Africa, Vietnam, India, Japan, China and Burma but before my trip I had a decision to make. I had $1,000 to either buy a real camera or to simply spend on my trip. After some contemplation, I decided to buy my first camera (“Daud”) and set forth my ambitions of developing my art form and becoming a real artist.
MS. How did traveling around the world shape your artistic perspective?
DL. I feel like traveling allowed me to discover aspects of myself that I would have never discovered otherwise. [By] Escaping the desert scene I came from and doing things on my own in other countries and meeting people who were creative like myself, I realized that I could really live a life being myself.
(Looking at his works)
DL. One thing I’m finding about my work is the desire to include symbols within it. Right now I don’t really feel like I create works in a conceptual way. My photography professor, photographer Amir Zaki, says, “A beautiful image is just a beautiful image. If you are taking a photograph of a beautiful person or environment what are you really doing as a photographer?” Hearing this, I thought to myself “Damn, that’s deep.” So I am now experimenting/working towards unveiling the inner personalities of my subject as portrait photographer such as the style of photographer, Richard Avedon. I want it to linger on your tongue.
MS. Your work holds a balance of bold masculine and feminine attributes. Such as men embracing what is traditionally women’s fashion and poses. Can you talk about this further?
DL. I feel like photographers, and artists, often times like to incorporate themselves into their work. In other words, their work whatever the subject matter may be, is a self portrait. I definitely have the duality of masculinity and femininity and I do enjoy to see that in my work.
MS. Is there any deeper message within your work in regards to past or present society and politics?
DL. I am not consciously trying to create a meaning in my work. I see the world in a certain way that moves me to create and capture these images. I do however think that I am trying to empower my subjects with bold poses, certain angles, and a wild sexy and free vibe.
Our conversation ended as a chilly breeze swept through from the alleyway. We continued our night enjoying the sweet experimental sounds at Backbeat LA. Learning about Deonte’s background I came to understand his work in a new light. Being someone who stood out in his hometown to exploring new cultures independently, and meeting other individuals who are just as charismatic, open minded, and creative Deonte was able to bloom into an artist. In his work I see him placing individuals who like him, are the non-conformist or simply the creative type onto a pedestal. Through this process Deonte is able to express his deep inner self and present the beauty that exists within himself and these figures in a colorful, sometimes otherworldly, and boundless style.
Deonte Lee
To see Deonte's featured works and receive special edition prints of Mise en Abyme Magazine come to the REACTION release celebration, Sunday August 26 at O'Donovans pub 101 E. 3rd st. Pomona, CA 7pm-11pm
