Dirk Hooper artscenetoday featured artist

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d i r k h o o p e r

3rd PLACE WINNER: Erogenous Zones Competition

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dirk hooper

oklahoma city, OK/usa

PINK KITTY

photography

12"x18"

$400, limited edition (1 of 10) giclee print

www.DirkHooper.com

dirk@dirkhooper.com

artist statement

My work has evolved over the years to encompass the use of various media including, pen and ink, charcoal, graphite, acrylics, printmaking and digital design. The tool that has focused my passion, and that I'm best known for, is the camera. During the past decade I have built a large body of work through photography that is not only reflective of my other work, but very much related.

The common influences of all my artwork are just as varied as the tools I use. Visually and stylistically I look to the genres of film, comic books, fashion, music videos and Japanese animation to gain inspiration. Thematically, I draw from my influences, but also choose to explore the Gothic and BDSM subcultures and the realms of fantasy and the paranormal.

Photography allows me to collaborate with my subject in a way that's not possible in other media. I encourage my subjects to explore a fantasy persona, or a heightened spirit that usually only surfaces in private moments or perhaps on Halloween. This fantasy exploration can manifest as something powerful, or erotic, or vulnerable, or a myriad of other facets which are typically hidden from the public. Because my work is fantasy, the subject is free to be something they would never share otherwise. In that regard, my work represents truth through illusion.

Often, the tone of my art can be dark or sexual, so it's not meant to be enjoyed by everyone. However, it isn't my goal to be offensive. I choose to limit my audience rather than compromise my vision. This puts me squarely within a highly select group of artists who must fight to have their work recognized by mainstream fine art, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I strive for a high level of craft in my artwork, despite the fact that many in the modern art establishment deride work if it is too representative or too refined. Some may call this style of work "lowbrow" or "pop art". Since I believe that the most compelling and challenging art is being created under this banner, I am pleased to be included in this movement.

I'm not interested in capturing reality at all. I want to showcase my own dreams or those of my subjects. My work is meant to be seen as an escape from the mundane. There is typically a narrative in my work. If one of my pieces takes you to another place, or if you just enjoy its aesthetic qualities, then I consider my work a success.

bio

Dirk Hooper is a renowned fetish and fantasy photographer, fine artist, graphic designer and writer whose work has been described as "forbidden tales to rival the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and the Marquis de Sade." Dirk's publishing credits include such diverse media as comic books, music CDs, art books and slick fetish magazines. He has also cultivated a reputation as a fine artist in established venues like the prestigious Fred Jones Jr. Art Museum and as an underground visionary in galleries like the Electric Chair, "the Dirty Show" in Detroit, "Fetish Project" in Brussels, Belgium and "Siberia" in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Dirk has work in the permanent collection of the Kinsey Institute based at Indiana University.

DirkHooper.com/blog/

SightKey.com

EroticArtShows.com

ArtSceneToday Q&A

Q: Where do you see yourself in the art scene today?

A: Living in Oklahoma, and doing erotic and fetish artwork, I see myself very much outside of the mainstream of the art world. I think the closest group that I fit into is the surge of alternative art, or lowbrow art, which I think is a place of real excitement and innovation taking place in the art world.

Q: What is your inspiration?

A: Everything inspires me. I'm a media sponge and always have been. Long before the prominence of the internet I consumed comics, cable television, movies, Japanese animation, books, art, magazines, advertisements and anything else I could get a hold of. The internet has exploded my influences. I have too little time to explore everything I'd like.

Q: What are your challenges?

A: Given my chosen genre (erotic, fantasy and fetish work) and my geographical location, the greatest challenges I face outside of Oklahoma is getting the word out about my work and finding opportunities to network and display my art. Inside Oklahoma, the challenge is to fight a very conservative and somewhat naïve art community and look for help and resources at home.

The internet has allowed me to get my work to Europe and all over the United States. I'd like to continue in that direction and expand to Japan soon. At home, the local creative community is finding its voice and breaking down a lot of walls that existed up until recently. It's improving all the time and I'd like to think that I was a small part of that, although some local heroes have really taken the ball and run with it lately.

Q: How did you/do you choose your medium?

A: Photography was both a creative and a financial decision. I chose photography because I get results that are closer to the visions I had in my head and because it seemed like learning media arts was a more practical pursuit than traditional art. With that said, I still do mixed-media work and do fine art printmaking, so I haven't turned my back on traditional art at all.

Q: Which artist has influenced you the most?

A: Director Terry Gilliam stands out as an artist who taught me two important things; fantasy can be a powerful springboard for exploring the sum and total of all human experience, and never compromise your artistic vision.

Dream hard,

- Dirk Hooper