PHOTO DIARY: Audrey Gretz Creates Magical Worlds with Texture & Photography

Apr 23

BRINGING CREATIVITY WITH MIXED MEDIA TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL - Audrey Gretz creates pieces that leave the viewer asking “how did she even think to make this?” The Tokyo-based artist combines her incredible eye for photography with varying textures and techniques to create her signature work. With a strong interest in the dynamics and relationship between gender, identity and culture, Gretz explores these topics through her creations. It’s clear at first glance that her work has intention and meaning behind it all, and it’s never so simple as to what the eye sees at first.

“I find myself creating worlds where the things we come to understand as “opposites” in our adult life are placed alongside one another…Engrained within everyday systems such as school dress codes and motherly advice, lies the message that our bodies are not just our own, that they belong to the eyes that are constantly evaluating them.”

Growing up in North Carolina, Gretz moved to Tokyo and began working as a photo studio assistant after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A long-time friend of Luna, Gretz has had the opportunity to be published by Gucci's CHIME, ANON Magazine, and Atlantis.

We are thrilled to share some of Gretz’s latest creations below, with each image truly showcasing Gretz’s talent as both a photographer and collagist. Read on to see some of Gretz’s recent work and to learn more about her process.

MUA & Model: Kanako — *MUA & Model:* *Kanako*

LUNA: Your projects often involve more than just photo as the main medium - you incorporate a lot of textures and collaging which is so sick. How did you get into bringing in these other elements?

GRETZ: I was doing what I think everyone does when creating, just trying to find a way to stand out. I was definitely searching for what would make my work special or different or intriguing. I didn’t have any technical knowledge or fancy degree or ability to collaborate with others or even photoshop (which I still don’t to this day aha). The first time I ever made a mixed media piece was a weekend when I was sent to my dad’s house and found an emergency sewing kit. I had some prints of my film photos with me and just started sewing on them because I couldn't sew clothes. I also added whatever thoughts ran through my head as a way to stamp myself onto the images, things like “I’m always making very certain that my mouth doesn’t move when I think.” I sewed a heart and wrote the words, “Did u send a pic of your pussy or ur heart?” After that I would just stand in a room and see what I could use - I’d burn or soak or rip or tape paper however I could.

LUNA: Can you share a bit about the making of this project?

GRETZ: All of the images I selected were taken within the past month or so. I started working at a commercial studio assisting photographers about 5 months ago and went through a span of depression and general hopelessness for a life that included art in the everyday. However I pushed through and have found myself back to frantically jotting shoot ideas into my phone memos and calling up friends for collabs again. Kind of fell off my broomstick for a bit, but these photos are me remembering how to fly again.

LUNA: Of this set, which photo was your favorite to create?

GRETZ: Sometime last year I was in the dollar store I frequently go to for inspo and noticed some paper stickers that I believe were meant to be used as name tags at events etc. I remember picking them up and thinking, “Oh, this could be super good.” The outcome of just printing my photos on those stickers was so simple and perfect. I’ve played with different sizes and shapes of the stickers as well as applying them to different materials for scanning, but just the balance of one image spread over a grid of sticker segments beats any of those experiments. Sometimes stuff just clicks.

LUNA: Does your creative process and approach change by project or do you have a consistent process?

GRETZ: It definitely changes over time. I used to take more photos of the things around me and now I photograph the characters and scenes inside of my head moreso. I used to feel frustrated when I couldn’t capture a moment that flew by, now I find myself frustrated when I can’t properly capture an image I have in my mind. I’ve found that accurately depicting a fairytale can be just as difficult as accurately depicting real life.

LUNA: What do you like most about collaborating with your models?

GRETZ: Being able to collaborate with anyone is a blessing. I still feel shocked when people want to offer their time and skills to one of my shoots. But I miss my best friend more than anything. I miss the fearlessness and energy when we shoot together or do anything together. There are always models that I work really well with or feel immediately comfortable around but I think there's nothing more special than creating with someone who you are 100% free and yourself with. My pink haired NYC-dwelling BFF will always be my biggest collaborator and muse.

LUNA: How has your time in Japan influenced you as an artist?

GRETZ: The biggest influence is probably the people I’ve met here. I never had such a supportive and talented team of creatives around me until I came here to Tokyo. It’s certainly not a perfect place and I made it a lot harder for myself by moving across the globe, but it has been worth it. At work I see the tight hold traditional values and hierarchy have in the workplace/society. However, I think that makes people who refuse to fit into that system even more driven to fight back for their right to self-expression.

FX makeup: Megumi // Models: Alexa & Yacchi — *FX makeup:* *Megumi* *// Models:* *Alexa* & *Yacchi*

LUNA: Is there a particular feeling you’d like the viewer to feel when viewing your work?

GRETZ: That probably depends on the image. It has changed a lot with time as well, but recently I enjoy exploring the importance of fantasy. Living here has taught me to appreciate fantasy as a tool for shaping reality.

GRETZ: I want people to feel as though they are not powerless against the world I guess. You have the ability to shape your own world as you see it, whether you do that with 35mm film or FX cow makeup or CG effects or fashion or whatever.

LUNA: What do you hope the upcoming months bring you?

GRETZ: Lots of smiles and used film rolls.

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