Catching up with RSA Director/Photographer Alyssa Boni
Born in LA, raised in London, Alyssa Boni is an award-winning, concept-driven photographer specialising in fashion, accessories and still life. Boni has a love of bold abstract images stemming from an early fascination with comic books and the meticulously depicted worlds of science fiction’s greatest authors. She quickly drew recognition for her photography work, winning the John Walker Prize for outstanding achievement and establishing an in-house photography division at Kurt Geiger.
In 2015/16 Boni has started to work on moving image projects, including the widely lauded #MoreWomen campaign for Elle. The editorial film revealed the stark reality and global prevalence of the glass ceiling for women in the workplace, breaking all Elle UK viewing records in the process.
Q> What did your parents do and how do you think that has influenced you today?
AB> My mum is a pretty big part of my life. She used to be the head buyer for a Parisian designer fashion label. Her fashion sense was FIERCE when I was growing up. I hated it at the time. Any young child or teenager at that age would hate to stand out or be seen with someone who stood out, especially your own mother! However, I obviously really appreciate it now and now own some of that clothing. She then moved on from fashion and into food, as you do. She owned and managed a restaurant for 18 years. She has had the ability, drive and creativity within herself to achieve success from very little. Because of all of these things my mum has influenced me to be an independent and creative person.
Q> What achievement are you most proud of?
AB> The first piece of moving image I shot was in my first little studio in Kentish Town. When I got there on the day of the shoot a number of really important things like the track for the dolly hadn’t shown up, and it was early on a Sunday morning. It was all a bit of a mad dash and as time was severely of the essence we had to do something to get rolling. We made a piece of flooring and track by unscrewing my changing room walls and scavenging rods and materials from around my studio. We also used one of those rotating TV stands to spin the model around, but you know what, it worked! So, thinking of my very humble beginnings, walking on set to direct my first TV commercial last year was a very proud moment.
Q> Who has been the most influential person in your life?
AB> There are a lot of people in my life that have influenced me so far. One is the late artist, Lynne Cohen. At university, I was so passionate about Cohen’s work that I pestered my way into interviewing her. Her photographs spoke so much to me at that time, I wanted to air my thoughts about how I felt when I looked at her photographs. I also wanted to hear her thoughts on her work. I guess the reason Cohen is one to highlight is that my experience with her work was my first hit of proper passion for the visual arts. She was the first person to challenge me intellectually and creatively in how I approached my own work. I feel like she has affected the way I look at the world and has definitely influenced the way I have looked through the camera.
Q> Who or what inspired you to become a director?
AB> My background is in photography. Once I crafted my aesthetic I started to be more interested in narrative and concept. I then tested some of these ideas out in a moving image context. It has felt right to move towards directing.
Q> What inspires you the most?
AB> New music, new art, new movies, new technology.... If I had to say one thing, it would be the future. I love science fiction. The future is a fascinating place.
Q> When not directing how do you spend your downtime?
AB> I have quite a diverse but close group of friends. All of our downtime is predominantly spent with each other. It’s all a bit Friends circa 1995.
Q> Where would you like to be right now and why?
AB> A relatively small festival in Croatia called Dimensions! Incredible underground electronic music artists. In the day it’s super chilled on a private beach. By night you travel through the trees to get to a derelict fort where it all gets a bit darker. I really love dancing.
Q> What are you most looking forward to about the future?
AB> I’m most looking forward to travelling. I’d love my work to take me to new places to learn and develop my ideas through new experiences.
Written by Daniel Challis. Photo by Anders Birger.
