Interview

Jan 19

Kat Alyst

Kat Alyst creates fictional worlds that don’t exist, yet share authentic narratives through oddly familiar glances into the abstract, through a stylized camera lens.

Color theory in imagery often stems from experiences with synesthesia and dominates the storylines portrayed. Lonesome expressions leave hints of nostalgia and blur messages below their surface.

Subjects who stare at viewers invite them in to briefly live in their world, whereas the ones who look away would rather they not stay too long. In either instance, the duration of the gaze becomes a reflection of the piece.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I always leaned toward painting, drawing, and writing when growing up. It took the lockdown in 2020 for me to reflect on the many creative avenues I’ve taken, to realize I was truly an artist at heart. I was dying to create, and started exploring my self-portrait work again, which I had originally studied in art school. It was after I’d created 11 pieces that I debuted my first solo show online because of the pandemic. The show was with LA Weekly and was called ‘someone is trying to tell you something’.
The body of work represents my personal narratives, told through a colorful and stylized lens, to further discuss my experience with mental-health struggles.”

What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?

“When I use myself as the subject, my work generally focuses on identity through the female perspective. My goal is to explore and share what I go through to survive in a capitalistic society as a female, and what that means—including mental health struggles.
When I photograph models artistically, I generally share my concepts beforehand. I tend to collaborate with fellow artists or peers in the same circles, which I find to be a therapeutic art process. For concepts with others, I generally focus on topics of empowerment. At other times, I create nonsensical narratives that are complementary to the model’s personality.”

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Which current art world trends are you following?

“Instead of current trends, I like to study photography and art history from early years. I tend to start with a classic foundation and make it my own spin. For example, a few years ago, over-editing images was one of the photography trends I noticed, and where that can be beautiful in its own form, I tend to focus on the majority of the image to be true to in-camera capture.
I like minimal editing, not only to save time, but to keep the work more authentic to its concept and execution. I treat the majority of my digital photography as if it were filmed. I try to keep prints extremely limited to feel more like a painting.
I find the ‘greats’ that I love, and study how they do their sets, lighting setups, the equipment they use, and more. Where I may not be doing the same process myself, I find it increasingly more dynamic to apply that knowledge to my work in other ways, with my own take.”

Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?

“I used to shoot every night, sometimes improvised and sometimes planned. I learned through these experiences that I prefer to plan, plan, plan. Since my work involves building a set, it’s extremely helpful to sketch and plan as much as possible. Even if the sketch isn’t detailed, I know what I need to make or thrift to make the vision come to life. Some processes are slower than others, too. The set usually takes the longest to build, and I only shoot 10-20 frames and then wrap.”

What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?

“I use found objects as well as purchased/rented items. Everything starts as a sketch and is brought to life as close to the drawn concept as possible. I’m as penny-pinching as possible, usually looking on Craigslist for free items. By finding objects or collecting unique items, it brings more individualism to each final product.”

“I want to open the floor to a safe space for those in need.

Social media and online personas are a highlight reel by default. I want to extend my own vulnerabilities to not only lift a weight from my own shoulders, but to show others it’s truly okay to not be okay.”

What does your art mean to you?

“My work is truly everything to me. When I didn’t have access to therapy, it was my therapy. It still is. It has taught me more of who I am than the work outside of it.”

What is your favorite artwork and why?

“I’m moved by documentary photography. The act of capturing moments is an art form in itself. Because I’m interested in creating a moment, I like to study works from photographers like Margaret Bourke, and see how I could create ‘authentic’ sets that look more natural than staged. I use this for posing as well.
I love Man Ray’s surrealism and the authenticity of having to capture everything on camera. The work of his I like most is Noire et Blanche. David LaChapelle is my favorite photographer of all time, and a visual artist I adore. Nearly all of his work inspires me, and I could easily consider him a favorite.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“I was honored to be a part of Art Basel this year. It was inspiring, and a great opportunity to connect with fellow artists and learn why and what makes them so driven to create and share. The article promoting this is here.
My first solo show was life-changing for me. You can get more information on that here. My first exhibition, ‘someone is trying to tell you something’ show can be seen here.
My favorite photographer was associated with V Magazine and Andy Warhol, so the year V Magazine published my work and portrait, (on my birthday!), was everything to me. It reminded me that anything is possible, even if you don’t have a direct connection to the industry you want to merge with. You can read that article here.
Having my work in Flaunt magazine was also another experience that reminded me it was a privilege to be ‘seen’ in your field and heard, and this is where you can read all about it.”