As one of the most recognisable photographers in L. A, Tyler Shields knows what descriptors are thrown his way by the critics. Works that slam together glitz and grime together, like bubblegum sparkle mashed with dirt, have seen him proclaimed as tawdry, a shock tactician, and a firebrand.
One particular moniker he has chosen to embrace as the title of his new photo collection book is ‘Provocateur’.
“I do love the title and I know people love to call me that,” Shields says. Rather than a brand forced upon him, provocateur is now a cheeky badge of pride that Shields flashes when faced with judgement. He explains, “I don’t spend time thinking about what people who review my work think about it. Sometimes a bad review is better than a good one. You have to just take them as they come and keep progressing. ”
'Gator Birkin' /Tyler Shields
Provocateur is Shields’ second photo book; a massive 320-page collection he has curated from projects over the last few years. This includes work from his Marie Antoinette inspired Decadence set, his more recent Historical Fiction project, as well as several one-offs with individual subjects. Originally Shields considered publishing a smaller book centred round just one of these recent works but just as his photography makes reference to times gone by, so to does this publication’s hefty size.
Shields explains: “I thought about it and it seems like the landscape of the print medium is changing, almost back to the way it used to be; bigger, more detailed books are a lot more interesting. We are so over-saturated with imagery that a lot of things slip through the cracks, so I wanted to look at this as if it were a huge gallery showing my best works up to this point. ”
'Let Them Dance' /Tyler Shields
A photographer (who shoots on a variety of Hasselblads, Leicas, and Mamiyas) an X-Games competitor (who toured with Tony Hawk) and a film director (who just shot a Marilyn Manson video with a decapitated Donald Trump); in a relatively short time Shields has earned himself a unique reputation in the industry as a non-conformist. He is fondly known of in celebrity circles and counts many of Hollywood’s elite among his friends.
Yet Shields has avoided being categorised as a celebrity portrait artist. Though the creme da la creme of the music, movie, and modeling worlds regularly appear in his work, these projects rarely put the cultural identity of the participant as the focus. More often these figures approach Shields to cast them as a new role within the ostentatious scenes he stages.
'Man and Women reacting to death of Marylin Monroe' /Tyler Shields
“Theatricality is of course the goal,” Shields tells us, “I want it to feel like a film in the blink of an eye. I will come up with a concept and then cast it. A lot of my shoots are like shooting a movie and they just take one day to shoot. ”
As single frames of motion pictures, his works are certainly a special blend. Their DNA often contains the recognisable lurid dreamlike production designs of Baz Luhrmann and an occasional splash of demented David Cronenberg. However it is the darkly comic, technicolor, retro-chic, historical referentiality of Quentin Tarantino that seems to be the most apparent donor to Shield’s cinematic-style.
'Pan am Flight 62 Moon Landing' /Tyler Shields
“History is always more interesting then present day because you can look back on it from all angles,” Shields says. “In the present we form opinions and those become bias but when you look back you see it for what it was and then from there create a series in a totally different way. ”
Shields’ likes to play in whatever era grabs him; and what grabs Shields is the empathically iconic. Whether that be the intoxicating hedonism of aristocratic 18th century France or the societal stresses of modern America. Shields says “I like to create my own history and the freedom in that is priceless. ”
'Train Tracks' /Tyler Shields
It is that totally untethered autonomy which makes possible the creation of Shields’ twisted imagery. Some of these new, potent, and controversial photos withinProvocateur are sure to rile up the more vocal of his opponents to a far greater extent than some of his pieces already had.
For instance, within the 1960’s set Historical Fiction series, Shields confronts racial conflict and the sickening brutalisation of the African American community, with the visual depiction of a nude black male lynching a KKK clansman. In a separate piece, Shields’ appropriateness was questioned by members of the online community, as he modelled a 22 year old Tallulah Willis, topless and simulating masturbation in a toilet stall.
'Lynching' /Tyler Shields
He waves away controversies in general but in regards to the Willis shoot in particular, Shields describes how it was the polar opposite of any garish exploitation. Like most of his works, he states how it was the result of a personal on-the-spot collaboration; when Willis’ camera fandom was peaked at sighting a new Leica M model by Shields’ side.
He recalls her excitement saying, “She is a dear, dear friend of mine and I just said ‘let’s just shoot’. There was no plan at all. Things go on a shot by shot basis and you never turn down a genius idea if the moment comes; you just shut up and shoot it. ” Shields adds: “As far as [was she] comfortable? That’s not even a question. People view me as a DR. I have seen everyone naked, I have seen everyone cry, and I have seen so many other things. No one is fazed. ”
Tallulah Willis /Tyler Shields
The upcoming release of Provocateur marks a point in Shields’ career where rather than relax and go commercial, his success is pushing him to diversify and experiment even more. He tells us, “As the sales of my work have increased in galleries and some of the great auction houses, it has only increased my desire to do bigger and better productions. It’s a great place to be in when you can invest back into yourself. ”
Shields is cryptic about what these upcoming works will be exactly; a mysterious “project with Leica” in May, and an upcoming series next year, “[shot] in a way I have never shot before. ” However, though he remains ever enigmatic about himself, Shields does leave some surprisingly sober advice for future rebels that will carry the flame of rebellion.
“Know the screen you are making your work for,” Shields states. “Making something for Instagram is different than a book, or a print. It will change your idea of how to make what you are making. ”
'Into The Water' /Tyler Shields
Provocateur will be released on Amazon in January. If you want to see more updates on Tyler Shield’s work you can check out his Instagram and website
Cover Image: 'Bunny' /Tyler Shields (Images used with permission)
. digitalrev.com
2016-11-15 03:00