• instagram
  • mail

Bridge 2 Composite Interview

An Interview with Emma Ray

Bridge 2 Final Draft

I started off my interview with Emma in a secluded and quite part of the

Metropolitan museum to which I asked her 10 questions. The questions I

choose to start off with where more silly and fun rather than deep. I choose to do this as I thought it would not only break the ice but I would learn a lot about her bubbly personality. And my hopes for the first interview was that asking her these sorts of questions would mean she would get comfortable around me so that when we would have our second interview she would be more relaxed and open when it would come to me asking her deeper questions about herself.

These are the 10 questions and answers from the first interview:

  1. Give me 3 fun facts about yourself?

Emma –

 First Fun fact“I am a photography major and I have loved photography ever since I was 10”

Second fun fact“I travel a lot. I usually go to Sweden 3 to 4 times a year because that is where my mum is from”

Third fun fact“when I was younger I had hair down to my knees” Me – “wow my mother had long hair like that when she was younger too and she could actually sit on it, could you do that? Emma – “yea I could sit on it, but I had to cut it off because a girl in six grade gave me lice”

  1. What are your party tricks?

Emma– “I can do the Cardi B ‘OSHRRKKK’, but I’m best at doing it when I’m drunk”

If you look at this link you will see what she is talking about, start watching from 1:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfyGgSE5TGU

  1. Would you rather die in 10 years happy or in 50 years unhappy?

Emma– “10 years happy”

  1. What would your porn star name be?(the name of your first pet, your mothers maiden name and the first street you lived on)

Emma– “I can’t remember the first street, so I will say the area, Gloria Karlson forest hills”

  1. If studio 54 and the CBGB’s reopened for one night and one night only but you could only go to one of them which one would it be?

Emma – “I’ve never heard of either of them but I guess CBGB’s because you said it was close to here”

  1. If you were in a burning building and could only save one person, who would it be between one of your parents or your partner?

Emma– “I would save my mum because I don’t have a boyfriend, so my imaginary boyfriend can die”

  1. If you could perform live with any singer/band who is either alive or dead, who would it be and what would you sing?

Emma– “I would sign hero with David Bowie on a subway platform” her original thought was Rhianna or Beyoncé but I persuaded her to choose somebody who was dead

  1. What was the worst punishment you ever got in school?

Emma– “ahaha ummm probably being kicked out the library for being too loud”

  1. If you could meet and dead person (famous or not) and hand out with them for two hours, who would it be and what would you do?

Emma– “I would want to meet my grandmother, well I have already met her but she died when I was two years old so I don’t really remember her well. All my cousins are older than me so remember here really well and she seemed so fascinating. When people in my family start talking about her the conversations and stories they tell about her last hours making me really wish I had known her better”

  • Snog, Marry avoid – Pablo Escobar, Trump and Hitler?

Emma– “I would marry Hitler so that I could maybe try to change his mind and stop him from doing everything that he did, I would avoid Trump and I would snog Pablo Escobar.

A few days after this interview had taken place Emma and I sat down together to ask each other some more questions. This turned more into a chat about our lives than an actual interview and my technique of having asked her more relaxed questions in the first interview worked as when it came to this one we both got a lot deeper. We found many similarities between us when it came to our feelings. For we both are our own worst enemies at times, when things are going good we both almost have a switch in our heads that makes us do something silly to mess everything up. We both realised how we have large walls and are afraid to let anyone in, although the difference between Emma and I, is from my understanding my walls are larger as Emma explained the people who are able to nock her walls down are her friends and family. Whereas with me they are still my friends and family, but each person knows something private about me which is something different to what I have told somebody else. So if you put them all together like a puzzle then maybe you would learn my story. I think this maybe be due to a fear of looking weak, which is another thing Emma and I share. We also share the hatred of confrontations, although in different ways. For she hates confrontation end of, where as I am happy to confront or be confronted until it is about something that will actually hurt me. Then I just bundle it up inside until it is so much which again ties into our fear of looking weak.

Other than deep characterises we also share similar hobbies and interests, we both have a strong love for photography. Emma loves how rewarding film photography can be as it is a long process to develop in the dark room, but she loves digital just as much because it is immediate and you get your results straight away. However, I personally love film photography especially in black and white as I think with film you can almost take photograph of anything and the way it comes out is just so magical and each picture is so enchanting in its own way, where with digital photography I always find rather boring as you can take an average photograph and spend time on Photoshop editing and might come out looking good, But I don’t like that, I love how raw film is as well as how rewarding it can be after having worked in the dark room. I think my opinion of digital Vs film may be partly to do with upbringing around photography, as that is my Father’s field and he specialising in film photography. We both have similar styles in the photography for we both enjoy fashion photography. Although as well Emma likes fine art photography and photojournalism, when I prefer street photography for I really enjoy taking photos of people (especially when they do not know it). Along with photography Emma and I have some similar music tastes. For example, old rock, old R&B and indie rock. Emma did also mention how she loves pop punk which I can’t say is a love that we share. But as for the other genres that we share old rock is defiantly the one where Emma and I see eye to eye the most as we both have the golden oldies like Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits and The Beatles on constant replay on our phones. I would like to think we are one of many of our generation listening to old rock but unfortunately I think majority of our age group would rather see Cardi B live in concert then somebody like Eric Clapton.

Overall in both of my interviews with Emma, well I say both I really mean one interview and one very very long chat it is clear that even though we are from completely different areas of the world and have lived completely different lives till now that we may not be as different as expected as in fact I found far more similarities between us then differences. Which is something I would not have expected when I first met her, but now that I have gotten to know her I can see that even though she may seem reserved she is actually a very humble, strong, kind, friendly and bubbly character. Which only goes to prove that nobody should be judged before you really know them.

I am an English multidisciplinary artist raised in London and refined in New York. I am constantly inspired by urban life and youth culture. The curious, enigmatic and often provocative elements of both urban life and youth culture help to fuel my work. In a sense the two are ever changing, innovating and growing, something I can relate to with my creative practise. I often pursue my projects down a political route and equality based themes, raising eyebrows and having people question themselves where I can. To Quote Banksy “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”. Perhaps due to my English upbringing where sarcasm and self depreciation is a first language and my straight to the point nature has enabled me to dig deep into problems of our culture. Much of my work is in the form of social commentary. Including issues of racism, sexism, mental health and feminism. “Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change - it can not only move us, it makes us move” - Ossie Davis Being an Integrated design major has allowed me to explore many pathways as well as hone in on my strengths as an artists. The mediums in which I steadily shift between and frequently combine are fashion design, photography, styling, graphic design, documentary film and art. I like to go back to the routes of my practices wether it be working by hand or using analogue cameras in stead of digital as it installs me with a sense of fulfilment and an appreciation for the past. Though this may be my mantra I do not allow it to limit me. For example digital experimentation, most notably my mixed media work. In my process I am much of a documentarian as I like to see things through from beginning to the end, allowing myself to be at either ends of a garment or accessory’s timeline . In my photography and styling practices and I a keen collaborator and relish in any opportunity to work with a fellow artist or designer. Having Grown up in two of the fashion capitals of the world my senses have been heightened to sustainability and ethical practise with in the fashion and arts world. The pressures of being a Gen Z artist and designer having to fix the mistakes of those before us, creates non stop challenges. But what is art, if you're not challenged by it?

Leave a reply

Skip to toolbar