Austin Young Wants You To Put Your Face Here
Self portrait by Austin Young
Celebrated portrait photographer Austin Young brings out the beauty and layered emotions in the colorful people he captures with his lens. Tonight when he sets up his camera, it will be aimed at a very lucky party goer who will experience being photographed by Austin Young first hand. During the run of Your Face Here, portrait sittings with Young will be available for a mere $100-$500. As he completes the images they will be added to the show. Your Face Here opens tonight at the new PoptArt Gallery and runs though March 5.
Since 1985 Young has been documenting pop, sub and trans culture icons. His portrait subjects include Leigh Bowery, Oliver Stone, Siouxsie Sioux, Sandra Bernhard, Olivia Wilde, Simon Cowell, Margaret Cho, Diamanda Galas, Elvira, Deborah Harry, Dame Edna, and Jeffree Star. Young's celebrity portraits and art have been featured in major publications all over the world including Vogue, Rolling Stone, Flaunt and Interview Magazine. Young is one of the founders of the hugely popular Fallen Fruit project with Dave Burns and Matias Viegener. His work has been shown at LACMA, Matedero Madrid, Ars Electronica, WOW Storefront Gallery, and Stephen Cohen.
As he embarks on this new adventure, LAist talked to Young about his new show, his famous friends, and about some of his favorite LA landmarks.
LAist: How did you originally get interested in taking portraits?
Austin Young: Starved for pop-culture as a teen in Reno, I became an avid fan of Interview magazine, The Face, ID magazine, Divine, John Waters, Warhol, Avedon , LP covers etc.. I knew I wanted to be a part of 'that' world. The first thing I did when I moved to New York after leaving art school in the late 80's was to bring my portfolio to Interview Magazine. My portfolio consisted entirely of drag queens like Glamamore, The Lady Bunny, and Miss Guy. They told me it was too 'East Village.' I was ok with that. But I kept bringing it there, and finally got a call from them in 2000 to shoot The Donnas.
Who are some of your favorite people you have photographed?
Margaret Cho, Karen Black, Diamanda Galas, Joe Dellasandro, Holly Woodlawn, Leigh Bowery, Mink Stole, Dame Edna, Sandra Bernhard. I've photographed Siouxsie Sioux twice. She later said that the photos got the most response from any she'd done before. My photo of Debbie Harry was on the cover of the remixed version of 'Heart of Glass' I've worked many times with Diamanda Galas. I love her face and dark beauty. I love working with iconic personalities- there is an incredible responsibility and challenge to reveal who they are and create a powerful image at the same time.
Who was surprisingly photogenic or easy to work with?
I tend to work with people over extended periods of time. They become muses- like Lenora Claire, Nadya Ginsburg, and Selene Luna. Margaret Cho is amazing. she is one of my favorite people. We don't stop laughing when I shoot her. She's always fun. Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira is so hot and exhilarating. I loved working with Amy Poehler. Rose Byrne is beautiful. Simon Cowell was really nice and a gentleman. I work with Jackie Beat a lot. I've done six videos with her. She's a genius. And of course, I have this long term love affair with photographing drag queens, androgynes and transexuals. I love that a person can be more than one thing during their life or in an evening. Zackary Drucker, Calpernia Adams, Fade-Dra, Buck Angel,Squeaky Blonde. Jer Ber Jones, Fade-Dra.,Jeffree Star, Peaches Christ, The Lady Bunny, Miss Barbie Q, and The Infamous Boom Boom.
How did you come up with the idea for Your Face Here?
When Lenora and Phyliss asked if i would open their new gallery with a solo show, I began to think about what I would put on the walls. I like the idea of turning this show about portraiture upside down. I thought it would be fun to have the people attending my opening become the subject of my show.
Often you get paid upwards of thousands of $6,000 for a portrait session. Why make a sitting with you so affordable now?
I'm really interested in people and I love taking portraits. I'm responding to the state of the world. This gives me the opportunity to work with people I may not otherwise be able to work with. Although, I know a couple of my celebrity and drag queen friends will be on the wall too. Did you buy a portrait??
What is your ultimate goal for this project?
I'm really excited about the visual impact of opening a gallery to empty spaces on the wall. I'm equally interested in filling up these spaces with new portraits of participants. There's a lot of uncertainty in producing 100 perfect portraits in 5 weeks. I'm up for the challenge. I have no idea what to expect. I think my work will transform and grow during these 5 weeks at Pop tART Gallery. I also hope that the people I shoot have fun and it would be nice if they
like their portraits
What else are you doing these days?
I'm going to Mexico with my two Fallen Fruit collaborators, Dave Burns and Matias Viegener. We are researching historic Mexico for a new project. I'm editing a new epsiode of 'The Worm' featuring Nadya Ginsburg, Selene Luna and Margaret Cho. I'm focusing on publishing a book of my portrait photography. I'm bringing TRANIMAL to the Berkeley Museum with Machine Project on Feb. 25th. I would like to travel to a different city with Your Face Here.
What is your favorite LA restaurant?
El Chavo. I love it.- there's a giant portrait of Dolly Parton on the wall. HELLO!
Favorite bar?
Akbar for dancing on Saturday night. The Other Side is really my favorite spot to end up, I love the older gentlemen that sit to one side of the bar. Barbrix for yummy wine! The rotating bar at top of The Bonaventure during sunset.
Favorite galleries?
Another Year in LA at PDC. Las Cieniegas. My favorite art spaces are LACE and MACHINE PROJECT.
Favorite shopping?
Silverlake around sunset Junction is the fun place to walk and shop on weekends! Pull My Daisy. Reform School. The Spice store is awesome!
Favorite LA landmark?
The Hollywood sign. Angeleno Heights, L.A's first neighborhood on Caroll Ave. The Farmers Market at The Grove. Venice Beach. Hollywood Blvd walk of Fame.
Your Face Here by Austin Young curated by Lenora Claire (LAist interview) and Phyliss Navidad opens tonight at POP tART gallery at 3023 Wets 6th Street. The opening night reception is from 7-10pm. Tenley Young (LAist interview) is creating innovative floral arrangements for tonight's event.
For the duration of the exhibition, Young will work at Pop tArt for a 5 week residency at Pop tART Gallery to create at least 100 portraits. He will be present during gallery hours for portrait sittings, which will eventually fill the walls of the gallery. Participation extends beyond sitting for a portrait - it will be a collaborative process where the participants determine the portrait's size and placement. Following the legacy of Warhol's Factory, Young will transform each participant into an a celebrity. Bring your face!