Asaf Einy is a photographer and video artist based in Tel-aviv. We invited him to celebrate our Summer of Love theme with us. And because we were not able to decide which pictures to show, we spontaneously agreed to publish two series – because you never get enough of summer and love, right? Asaf’s pictures remind us of documentaries about places we always wanted to travel to. The colors, the settings, the moments of his art are captivating, so you just want to be right in the middle of this moments. We talked to Asaf and asked him how his pictures are coming to life. Part 1 of the Summer of Love series can be seen here.
How are you? And how do you spend your days these days?
Hi I’m doing alright. trying to spend most of my free time at the beach these days. every summer I regret not going as much as I could have and every time I go I never have any regrets so…
What did you do before you sat down for the interview?
Took a cold shower, turned on the AC and made myself a cup of black coffee.
Tell us something about you. Why and since when have you been photographing? Do you remember your first pictures?
I think I started taking pictures when I was around 16 years old but since I was young I was capturing and documenting life really. At the age of 5 I started drawing a tree that was close to my home back then- I used to draw it every couple of month to capture the changes in the colors of the leafs and their quantity. At 8 I got my first video camera and at 10 I was already writing and directing home movies with my friends. Photography and cameras were always around since my father was photographing us from a young age and kept us occupied with photography and cinema. I don’t remember my first photo but it was probably a photo of my dog or cat or friends.
Where do you get your inspiration? And where do you currently find it?
Obviously I find inspiration in the work of photographers I look up too and scrolling around the internet. But I think most of my inspiration comes from walking around. I live in south Tel-Aviv in a cultural mixed area and I’m always observing- what people wear, their faces, their body language, behaviour and habits. Details spread all around of different life styles and aesthetics. The chaos is fascinating.
There is such an overall presence of masculinity throughout your work, captured in a very intimate yet casual way. How would you define masculinity?
Wow, I think it’s bigger than me to define. I think masculinity is always changing and broadening its limits- you can see it in queer culture and in representation of it in the media, tv and cinema. I can define what is so interesting for me about it- it’s that tension that guys share with each other, boys share with their brother and father- that psychological void that is full of unspoken feelings and desires. I’m not talking about gay tension, i’m talking about that imprint of history and education on guys that is so deep that its shaping the way they talk and act. Add to that tension the visible and aesthetic way guys choose to present their selves in the world and you get this endless puzzle of what “male” is.
What is the perfect picture for you? And what ingredients does it need?
No such thing. I think a really good picture is one that you can’t predict how good it’s going to be when you shoot it. the real ingredients is magic. I really like photos that feel autonomous. I don’t need any other information other than the one given to me from looking at it. it’s a whole world.
Container Love’s mission is to highlight the beauty in diversity, to change views on love and the body, and to stand up for more tolerance. Do your pictures have a message that fits into the Container Love universe?
I’m not sure to be honest haha. I think I have a relatively small and reduced world in my photography. But it’s a process, I want to open my photography to new places, new communities, new body types and beauty, to queerness.
Let’s take a look into the future: Do you have a picture of yourself in 10 years?
I really don’t. Hopefully not in a world with a pandemic! I just hope to be satisfied with my life, having a roof over my head and take pictures with the same passion i have today.
Famous last words?
This isn’t the end.
Thank you very much for your thoughts.
<3
1 Photo Asaf Einy, Styling Shay Lee Nissim, featuring Vertex for Fucking Young! 2 Photo Asaf Einy, Styling Shay Lee Nissim, featuring Vertex for Fucking Young!, 3 Photo Asaf Einy, Styling Shay Lee Nissim, featuring Pavel at Brickmodels Personal Management, 4 Photo Asaf Einy
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