Today we’d like to introduce you to Asia Estelle
Hi Asia , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My photography journey began in high school. I took one class out of interest and was exposed to things I never could have imagined. Photography is so different from other mediums, and being exposed to different processes is what made me fall in love with this method of storytelling.
I had a teacher who was very knowledgeable and gave us many resources to learn about every aspect of the art form. I made pinhole cameras, I was in the darkroom, I shot digitally, I was doing paper and tape transfers, collaging, etc. I was taught about the elements and principles of design and was exposed to great artists from the beginning.
I had no clue what I wanted to do after high school, so if not for this experience, I am not sure if I would be where I am today.
While high school had a lot to do with my decision in pursuing art as a career, being in college and being able to learn about photography on a higher level really ignited a passion that I did not know was in me.
College is also where I was introduced to ceramics, and completely fell in love with that medium as well. Now, I want to continue to make bodies of work- as well as find a way to combine both photography and ceramics.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The most difficult part of my photography journey has been trusting in myself as an artist, and discovering what my work was about and who it was for.
In my undergraduate education, I only ever had a white audience to present my work to. At first, I did not understand the disconnect I felt when presenting to my peers, but I noticed I was always critiqued a bit differently than others. I did not receive much feedback and I noticed people felt as though my work was very redundant, and not that I was working toward a something meaningful to me and my culture.
I soon realized that my peers simply did not understand my work, and not many people asked questions nor did they want to.
Regardless of this, I feel this was something I needed to experience in order to feel more reaffirmed in my identity as a Black woman and as an artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer and a ceramicist! The majority of my work deals with Black natural hair, and overall, the cultural experiences that exist within Blackness. I do a lot of analyzation of the self and of my environment. I strive to explore my identity in all the ways that I can.
What I’ve learned in exploring my culture within my art practice is that Blackness is not a monolith, and there is not one correct way to be Black: it exists within a “grey area.”
I think I am most proud of what I was able to accomplish within my last semester of undergrad at Texas State. I self-published a photobook entitled, liminal intimacies, which I was able to present at an Honors Research Conference, and I constructed ceramic vessels that appear to be made entirely of braided hair. I feel those are the best pieces I’ve created in my career thus far.
I have a unique voice, a fresh perspective, and a real hunger to succeed in this field. I have so many ideas I have yet to create, and I know that once I do, it will be amazing.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters the most to me is representation.
I found that’s what my work is really about at the root. I want to represent myself, and my culture, and eventually other people as well. Lots of people are not represented in ways they should be to this day. I feel it is a bit of a myth that “times have changed” over the years.
I care a lot about community as well, and I hope that is also represented within my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://aaestelleart.wixsite.com/asiaestelle
- Instagram: @asia.orf
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/asia-estelle-290ab8307
Image Credits
Deandra Lee (Personal Photo)
Asia Estelle (Additional Photos)
