Spotlight: Photographer Xhosa Fray-Chinn Brings a Fresh & Authentic Perspective to his Work
☆ BY Sahina Sherchan ☆
FROM USING DISPOSABLE CAMERAS AS A KID TO HIS ADORATION OF FILM PHOTOGRAPHY NOW AS AN ADULT - Brooklyn-based creative Xhosa Fray-Chinn has made a full 360 in his creative journey. The film photographer, filmmaker and creative director grew up in Florida, with his first memory of a camera of a disposable which in time turned to camcorders and then digital cameras. Now residing in NYC, he is surrounded by inspiring creatives and has made a space for himself to explore his curiosity. He experiences photography as transformative, living in the photo itself, he reclaims the reality of history as his own. Through his own meaning-making, he re-evaluates the understanding of the world we know as today in his photography.
At first glance, Xhosa’s photographs are dreamy with inviting colors. Xhosa Fray-Chinn describes photography as “something that calms you down, detaches you from reality”. As an avid storyteller with a filmmaking background, he carefully engages stories in his film photography to ground meaning. Fray-Chinn values the importance of perspective and the experience of stories. Like most artists, he wants others to see his perspective by walking in his shoes. With every medium he chooses to pursue, he sees expression in the same light. Currently, he is exploring many means of expression to evaluate meaning and allow playfulness in his curiosity. When asked about all the art mediums he engages in, he says that he balances his use of them by understanding the ultimate aim of his work. The intention of the meaning is the eventual deterrent of the medium he chooses. He sees everything as a story to tell and relates to how he couldn’t see an image without the attached deeper meaning.
The overarching theme of Fray-Chinn’s work is to explore the experience of the black community in a unique manner. He intends to capture the narrative of what could’ve been, and gaze at the progressive state of the world in an honest way. The attention to vivid colors in his images is his way of re-evaluating the image of black people in a light of ease. Color is an entire language of its own and as of late, he enjoys working with warmer tones and greens due to his affinity with nature-driven vast locations. The vibrant colors in his images convey the message of leisure he aims to re-evaluate in his images for the black community, particularly highlighting their collective nature and sheer beauty. When asked about his photography’s intention, Fray-Chinn shares, “storytelling is the easiest way to be relatable, to get people engaged”.
Getting a glimpse of people for a certain moment and really understanding them is his way of representing black people in a perspective they are not normally represented in. He is one of many black creatives who are adding to the conversation of reformation today. Seeing them relaxing and seeing them in all different walks of life, Fray-Chinn says “This is normal. This is what we do, and we are great at it”.
From the process of mood boarding to the very execution and development of the film, he welcomes changes and alternation. The art of taking a photo is so powerful. It’s a memory, a way to encapsulate a moment in time that can last forever. It is a way to gaze at the progression and state of the world, it’s an honest representation. So, Fray-Chinn allows for honesty through using film photography. Reflecting on all the times in his shoots where his film camera would break on se, Fray-Chinn laughs the memories off, saying this was all part of the process and expressed how in many ways the moments in between the planned shots were the ones that truly captured his vision. This goes to show the fragile yet honest nature of the film which Fray-Chinn adores for its unpredictable nature.
Ultimately, Fray-Chinn’s intentions remain the driving force of his photographs. When asked about what he wished more people knew about his work, he emphasized how storytelling is the reason for all the artistic choices he makes. Xhosa particularly mentioned his choices of location and described how he preferred shooting in ambiguous locations. He didn’t want his photographs to include any specific landmarks that could be recognized, instead he wanted people to question if the place was even real. This is a theme that we see through all his ethereal and dreamy final photos.
Xhosa Fray-Chinn is definitely an artist who needs to be understood as his perspective is so unique and story is so vital. Currently, he is working on a project “Old Constructs New Context”. He has given a brief insight saying that it is about bringing black imagery and experience into places that they weren’t in before. Fray-Chinn is hoping to explore specific time periods and historically well-known imageries by replacing and adding black people in the images. Recreating these moments is his way of creating spaces for black people. So just as his creative journey was transformative, his aim for his art is just the same.
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