1990s IN ETERNAL OPTIMIST

1990s in the Eternal Optimist!
"How much am I in control of my destiny? That was one of my main questions during the 90’s. At the same time I was in love with the idea that photographs are perceived as reality. By creating images that looked real, I was able to write my own history. If I was feeling lonely, I had intimate images to remind me I was not alone. Photographs of rooms, objects, and the arrangement of furnishings represented a balance between choices and chance. When a band that had been styled and put into a staged situation but looked caught off guard in my shot, I was in heaven. The 1990’s presented opportunities through new magazines where fashion was just an accessory to tell a story, Chloë Sevigny was still a kid, a hand could be an eye, and to surpass our limitations was the expected outcome." M.K.

1990s WITH COSAC NAIFY

1990s with Cosac Naify in Brasil!
Você pode comprar seu livro aqui!
Text by João Perassolo!

A imagem que melhor representa 1990s é, não por acaso, a escolhida para estampar a capa: uma jovem, Neca, capturada no exato momento em que cai na piscina, água espirrando para todos os lados. “Ninguém sabia o que ia acontecer, mas a gente não podia parar” avisa o leitor o texto de introdução, escrito pelo fotógrafo autor do livro, o paulistano Marcelo Krasilcic [que autografa no dia 5 de abril na SP-Arte].

O conjunto de 179 fotos reunidas em dois volumes gigantes captura a efervescência da música eletrônica nos anos 90 e seu entorno de moda, vida gay e comportamento. Foi o momento em que o underground passou a ser mainstream, quando lounge não era conhecido como música de elevador. Vide as imagens da atriz Chloë Sevigny no ferry e no metrô do World Trade Center, poucos meses antes da fama no filme ‘Kids’ (1995); ou o duo de trip-hop Everything But the Girl em pose blasè no banco traseiro de um carro, foto icônica que virou a capa do belo disco ‘Walking Wounded’ (1996).

Essa revolução na cultura jovem só poderia ser registrada com exatidão a partir do maior centro produtor de hypes do mundo, Manhattan, para onde Krasilcic se mudou com 20 anos, em 1990. Primeiro como estudante de fotografia da New York University e depois como profissional, abastecia as revistas Dazed & Confused, Purple, Self-Service e Visionaire, porta-vozes do movimento. Era a pessoa certa, no lugar certo, na hora certa. Sobram poses engraçadas nos ensaios fotográficos para os periódicos, a exemplo do modelo Maurizio chupando o dedão do pé ou da garota Nikki gritando com a boca colada no vidro do carro.

Embora boa parte dos cliques tenha sido produzido sob demanda comercial, paradoxalmente o aspecto mais bacana de ’1990s’ é seu tom pessoal, não-jornalístico, como se o autor nos mostrasse seus álbuns de fotos. O artista chama carinhosamente estes anos de sua “década de descoberta” – daí os registros de seus amantes e amigos, a maioria nus ou semi-nus, em espírito de festa-sem-fim: deitados em poses eróticas, correndo (para a piscina?) no reduto gay Fire Island, fazendo festa em grupo na cama de casal, olhando para a lente do fotógrafo com a toalha enrolada na cintura. Estão retratados personagens da cena paulistana como o estilista Dudu Bertholini e o diretor do Mix Brasil André Fischer, à época bastante jovens.

1990s guarda um forte parentesco com Babado Forte (Editora Mandarim, 1999), livro da jornalista Erika Palomino que lança um olhar apaixonado sobre a interface da juventude de São Paulo com a moda, a noite e a música eletrônica na virada do século 21. Foi quando “a grande mídia habituou-se a cobrir estes assuntos com atenção e simpatia”, ela diz. Era o início do plano Real, a globalização e a internet davam seus primeiros passos, e isto fazia a informação circular mais rápido, colocando o país definitivamente na rota do consumo cultural.

O trabalho de Krasilcic traz de volta estados de humor que parecem ter perdido espaço no imaginário sisudo do novo milênio: a diversão pela diversão, o prazer da descoberta do mundo, a deliciosa fantasia da vida noturna que dizia “don’t forget your sunglasses” – não esqueça os óculos escuros – porque a festa iria até às 11 horas da manhã do dia seguinte.

1990s IN VOGUE BRASIL

1990s in Vogue Brasil!
Text by Nô Mello!

1990s IN DAZED & CONFUSED

1990s in Dazed & Confused!
Text and interview by Laura Rzemieniecka!

Marcelo Krasilcic was part of a generation of photographers that moved to New York in the 1990s and he quickly became known for his spare but erotic photographs of liberated youth, artists, designers and musicians, such as Maurizio Cattelan, Chloë Sevigny and Everything but the Girl – photographs that captured the spirit of the 1990s in situ. Krasilcic went on to forge an international career as a fashion photographer, portraitist and director of art, music and fashion videos.

His work has appeared in several fashion publications such as Dazed & Confused, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Elle and Vogue Hommes International. He created campaigns for Nike, Moêt & Chandon and Bergdorf Goodman among many others; and photographed actors and musicians such as Willem Dafoe, Joaquin Phoenix, M.I.A., Caetano Veloso and Drake.

Krasilcic is now exhibiting his work at the Colette in Paris from the February 25th to March 30th 2013, where he will also be selling his new book, an over sized, cloth bound two-volume publication which chronicles the photographer’s iconic and intimate aesthetic that continues to inform today's lifestyle and fashion photography.

You have a new book that’s just come out, could you tell us a bit about it?

The book is a collection of fashion, portraits, interiors, nudes and personal photos of friends, family and lovers taken in the 1990s. It is an oversize, clothbound, slipcased, two-volume publication. The internet didn’t exist in the 90’s and it is a great pleasure to introduce these images I love to a whole new generation.

You’ve shot celebrity music artists such as M.I.A, William Dafeo and Drake, is there anyone else you would love to do a photo shoot with?

I love shooting celebrities and portraying them more intimately then they are used to be seen. There are so many amazing people I haven’t shot yet but the ones that come to mind today are George Clooney, Anne Hathaway, Maggie Smith, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rihanna, Barack Obama, Madonna, Demi Moore, Prince Harry, Kim Kardashian, Vanilla Ice and Neymar.

Your editorial style proved incredibly influential. How would you characterise your take on photography?

I like my images to look real, intimate and inquisitive. But Krazy Chic is my style signature!

You worked for our magazine for a while. What was that like?

It was one the most amazing magazine experiences ever! Being surrounded by some of the most talented people in the industry and at the epicenter of the creative wave of the 90’s was sweet.

When your career started, your photographs were described as capturing the spirit of the 1990s, do you feel some of you photographs still reflect the 90s?

In the 90’s, ideas were more important then anything else. Since then, I have learned to make sure the clothes also look beautiful. But my aesthetics and dedication to the work haven’t changed.

How do you think moving to New York in the 90s helped your career?

New York embedded me with a sense of freedom and hard work that mixed with my innate Brazilian fun and sensuality created the right balance for success.

What has been your best memory of your career so far?

Oh, there are so many incredible memories that it is impossible to pinpoint just one! But I recently shot a 69 years old iconic transvestite that reminded me of how fearless we can be.

What have you got planned for the future?

Besides inspiring people with my photography and cooking (yes, watch out for those vegan recipes!), I am looking forward to being a bit more Krazy and a lot more chic!

1990s IN V MAGAZINE

1990s and Chloë Sevigny in V Magazine!

1990s IN FRENCH VOGUE

1990s in French Vogue! 

1990s IN PURPLE DIARY

1990s opening at Colette in Purple Diary!

#PHOFOAM IN CENTER FOR AESTHETIC REVOLUTION

Read the entire posting and view the #PHOFOAM images by Pablo León de La Barra in the Center for Aesthetic Revolution!

1990s AT COLETTE

1990s exhibition and book signing at Colette!

You can buy your book here too!

1990s IN L'OFFICIEL BRASIL

1990s book in L'officiel Brasil! Written by Sergio Amaral!

#PHOFOAM PHOFOAMANCE IN FIRE ISLAND

#PHOFOAMING selects of my #PHOFOAM performance in the Fire Island Pines Performance Series. With Johannes Vogt, Pati Hertling, Fabian Bernal, Daniel Werner, Daniel Gortler, Charles Renfro, Alexander Galan,  Ryan Bradshaw Greene, Italo Zucchelli, Carlos Motta, Pablo Leon de la Barra, Evan J. Garza, Ryan James MacFarland, Dave Harper, Angela Donhauser, Julian Asfour, Adi Gil, Gabi Asfour, Jessica Mitrani, TM Davy, Michael Bullock, Cay Sophie Rabinowitz, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Tyler Ashley, Faris Al-Shathir and Alejandro Garcia among many others! Be creative! PHOFOAMANCE in the air!

#PHOFOAM HAIRSTYLE

#PHOFOAM in the Fire Island Pines Performance series!
Get creative!

JOSH RYLEY

The sexy Josh Ryley for Untitled Project Journal!