- Date
- 22 MAY 2024
- Author
- LUCIA MARINELLI
- Image by
- ELISKA SKY
- Categories
- Fashion
Unveiling World 2.0: Eliska Sky's Visionary Approach to Fashion Photography
Welcome to Red Eye, where digital innovation meets futuristic inspiration! Today, we step into the captivating world of visual artistry with Eliška Sky, a visionary photographer and filmmaker whose work transcends boundaries and challenges perceptions. Eliška, based in London but originally from the Czech Republic, introduces herself through her art, which explores the human form, celebrates diversity, and embraces technological advancements.
In this exclusive interview, conducted within the framework of our editorial ethos inspired by Eliška's own submission, she shares insights into her artistic evolution, from childhood experiments with paintbrushes to the realization of her calling in photography. Inspired by luminaries such as Tim Walker and Vivian Sassen, Eliška's aesthetic blends surrealism with conceptual art, creating visually stunning landscapes that provoke thought and ignite the imagination.
Central to Eliška's artistic process is the seamless integration of technology, where traditional photography converges with cutting-edge digital artistry. Through innovative techniques like light painting and 3D modeling, she pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling, offering glimpses into alternate realities.
Beyond aesthetics, Eliška's work addresses themes of body positivity, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability. In her project "World 2.0," Eliška imagined a new world where humanity and AI blend together, prompting a reflection on the role of AI in solving environmental problems. She advocates for the ethical use of AI to foster sustainability and equality, emphasizing the importance of preserving natural habitats and adopting smarter production methods.
For "World 2.0," Eliška merged traditional photography techniques with digital enhancements, collaborating with 3D artists to create futuristic elements while incorporating in-camera light painting for a dynamic visual experience.
Join us as we embark on a journey into the realm of possibility with Eliška Sky, where imagination knows no limits, and the future is yet to be written.
Who are you? Where are you from? And: if you could choose 3 objects to describe yourself, what would they be?
First of all, thank you for featuring my project! I’ve been following Red Eye for some time and really admire your focus on digital innovation & futuristic inspirational style.
My name is Eliška Sky and I am a visual artist working with medium of photography and film. I am from the Czech Republic but I’m based in London. My projects are usually connected to the exploration of the body as a form, celebration of movement & diversity of beauty. I’m also experimenting with light and I’m influenced by the current technology developments. With my presented project World 2.0, I was inspired by the Ai expansion and I imagine the future of humanity.
For the objects, I would choose an eye, light and sky.
What is your artistic background, and how did you discover your artistic talent?
I was a very creative child attending ceramics & painting classes. But I discovered my artistic calling thanks to the high school photography
competition. The opportunity of creating a story within an image made me very passionate about pursuing photography further to the university and later as a full time practice. Early on, I started to stage my own sets to tell stories and visualise my narrative. And it became my communication tool where I can connect with a wider audience.
What is your first memory related to you creating art?
It must be painting on our living room’s wall with bright orange pencil as a child (to my parents dismay) and also my ceramics classes in my primary school! Later on, also casting all my classmates to be models and assistants for my photoshoots. One earliest one was when I was 18 and I was creating a photo series for my BA application. I used the school premises to photograph my friends and classmates suspended on ropes in the air being ninjas!
Who or what are your major artistic influences, and how do they shape your work?
I’m very drawn to the aesthetics of Tim Walker, Olaf Breuning and Vivian Sassen. Tim Walker for his amazing visual storytelling, surrealism and collaborations with intricate set design of Shona Heath. Olaf Breuning for his series featuring bodypainting and work with primary colours. And Vivian Sassen for her ability to capture light, shadow and colour in a unique way.
Furthermore I’m also inspired by other forms of art, science and new technologies. For example studio Sila Sveta excites me for the combination of the performance, light programming and video mapping. Last year I also visited the Team Lab planets in Tokyo. Their interactive installations changed my view on how digital technologies can create immersive experiences. Studio Zimoun also moves me with their combination of technology and sound.
Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you move from an initial idea to a finished piece?
Initially, I form the idea based on my inspirations, experiments and personal experiences. Once I have the vision for the project, I start with the contextual and visual research, create moodboard and sketches. Very important for me is to collaborate with the team with similar aesthetics so we can develop the
project together. For example for the World 2.0, the hairstylist Esteban Emmanuel created incredible hair sculptures which elevated the futuristic feel I was after. On the photoshoot day, I follow my sketches and mood boards, but also leave space for creativity and improvisation. I also take inspiration from the energy of models and team.
Your work often features a blend of surrealism and conceptual art. What themes are you most passionate about exploring through your art?
I use my art as a way to communicate my inspirations, ideas and thoughts related to the topics of body positivity, inclusivity, sustainability & current future developments. I want to showcase new points of view and perspectives, which makes the audience engaged with the topic.
To convey these themes, I use surrealism to create staged imaginative worlds where everyone is invited to wonder, dream, explore & visualise.
What role does technology play in your creative process, especially considering the blend of photography and digital art in your projects?
I use two almost opposite sided practices: on one hand I like to create my surrealistic worlds fully in the camera with minimum editing. This usually involves large scale hand made set design & creative lighting techniques.
On the other hand, I love to explore new technologies where the worlds are enhanced digitally. I then often experiment with combining real photography with 3D & Ai tools. Last year, I created a project ‘Technology’ with team of 3D artists Lucas Bernard, Zil Julie Vostalova & Jan Burian. New dimension was presented as a human digital statue which was created with methods of 3D scanning and avatars creation of real models from New Aliens Agency. This was then exhibited on a large LED screen with the performance of real models.
For World 2.0, I merged both of these techniques. While working with the real set made of lighting snakes & apocalyptic rocks from the set designer Effie Gu, I also collaborated with 3D artists Zixuan Zhang and Nina Doll to enhance some of the photographs with the futuristic 3D elements. The whole series
also features some in-camera techniques of light painting with slow shutter speed.
Are there any specific techniques or tools you prefer to use in creating your distinctive visual style?
The technique of laser and light painting appears often in my photographs. I combine flash to freeze the scene with the slow shutter speed which lets me to get creative with light magic. I either move quickly with my camera to get light streaks of ambient lighting or I paint with laser, LED lights and torches. The achieved result is always unexpected and each image is unique.
I also tend to shoot a lot with wide angle lens, which creates a lot of distortion. This changed perspective adds movement & keeps me creative.
How do you see the role of art in addressing social or environmental issues? In what ways do you think contemporary art can contribute to societal change or awareness?
Art can communicate these issues to the wider audience and bring awareness. It has a transformative ability to affect emotions and to showcase the problems in a new context. Art itself might not have a solution but can inspire change.
In your project World 2.0, you imagined a new world where humanity and AI blend together. And you asked a question to your followers, now I turn the question to you: will an AI help us to solve the environmental problems in the near future?
I truly hope so! Ai is already much smarter than the IQ of the general population and this can have a profound impact on helping us solve the political, environmental and social problems we face now and in near future. There is a lot of work to be done to create a more sustainable and equal society and we need all the help we can get. Most important is to advocate for the ethical AI which is not used only for the profit and gain of large corporations, but rather for fostering the questions of sustainability, preservations of natural habitats, and smarter ways of production.
Can you name three Instagram users we need to follow? And why are these users worth following?
I would recommend these users:
@fashionforbank_robbers - curated selection of contemporary headpieces and face masks by the jewellery designer Carina Shoshtary (follow her too)
@tomikono_wig - wig artist from Japan. Imagine being dressed as a jellyfish in pastel colours in Harajuku
@nasa - for everyday dose of space
What are the last three songs you listened to?
Jessie Ware - Midnight caller
Fred Again & The Blessed Madonna - Marea - We’ve lost dancing
Lauryn Hill - Everything is everything
3D Artists: @z.i.x.u.a.n.zhang & @dollushka
Models: @alexischengpeng from @jadoremodelsagency @tuttisistemati & @rorycity from @immmodels @assandwr @jaydandavie from @nevsmodels @yochan__ from @firstlondon
Styling: @g__l__o__
Set Design @effieguyuan
Hair: @estebanhair
Makeup: @jo.makeupart
Nail Artist: @giulia_oldani_nails
Photography Assistants
@lusy.klintsova @isyimarni
Retoucher: @chiisana_raion & @eliskasky
Filiming by Rea Shilian