Kanga Bell

What is your senior thesis?

I’d like to focus on pleasure, and remind others of its importance. Since I associate pleasure very closely with the primitive, animalistic, and natural, there will be recurring themes of such. I plan to study these themes in relation to each other, as well as what others get pleasure from. To enrich my work, I plan to delve into the basics of sensory pleasure: auditory, somasensory, gustatory, and/or olfactory in addition to vision. My goal is to create multi-sensory experiences within a photographic framework that make the viewer feel happy and inspired.

What motivated you to start this project? What inspires your creative process?

This project is the evolution of the work I’ve been doing for several years. I’ve always valued the realms of nature, life, sex, and euphoria in my art and am building upon that this year. Ultimately what has driven me to create and continue this project is an incredible love for all that lives and breathes, and a growing disdain for civilization and its oppression of said life.

Do you work in film or digital? Please describe any technique or process relevant to your project.

Digital! It’s just more economical, more efficient, and suits my style. Also, I’m not into consuming animal products, and film is made out of animal gelatin so I avoid that.

How has your work developed or changed over time?

From the time I began photographing I’ve seemed to have a particular style, but have since lost it several times in favor of the “proper” way to photograph. I am at the point again of resurrecting it and developing it further, and hopefully will hold onto it. I don’t think that my tastes have changed much – I’m just continuously developing my skill in recognizing and expressing it.

What artists or works of art have inspired or influenced you?

I avoid allowing my work to be influenced by others. There are, however, some times when I discover an artist who is doing similar work and think: THAT IS F****** GREAT!! Jeanne Dunning and Sparky Campanella are my current favorites.

What kind of response do you hope to get from your viewers? Is there a certain experience you want people to take away from your photographs?

Pleasure.

What is the ideal setting to view your work? Do you picture your photographs in a book? In a gallery?

I definitely prefer my work printed large and on a wall versus a book, though I find galleries dreary. Maybe in a restaurant, bedroom, or garden would be preferable – somewhere where one can enjoy oneself.

Do you have any ideas or plans for future work?

At the moment I just want to continue my project, going for what I described of my thesis above.

What do you see yourself doing after graduation?

I want to be a professional food photographer when I grow up. I love food.

You can check out Kanga's website at: kangabell.com