Photographer Analissa Longoria’s work is imbued with a certain subterranean elegance, reflecting the very essence of her own bohemian spirit. With an ocean full of empathy and a keenly compassionate eye, Analissa’s portfolio is a veritable melting pot of converging worlds. Based in East Vancouver, Analissa is a champion of the underclass, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, the mad and the disaffected, while also a supporter of some of Vancouver’s most glamorous socialites and models, shooting from her own portrait studio in Chinatown.
As Oscar Wilde said; “We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars”… It is in how she integrates gritty realism with a velvet nostalgic beauty that this expression is summoned to mind. Analissa visually conveys a marrying of her childhood obsession with fashion magazines with her upbringing on the gritty streets of East Vancouver.
Delicately capturing the emotional depth of her subjects, a broken-beauty is ever present across a broad range of styles, from environmental candid black and white low-light work, to futuristic and hallucinatory neon dreamlike candour, Analissa shoots her subjects in a range of environments - from their own intimate habitats, on the streets, at hedonistic underground DIY gatherings and art shows. From her studio space in Chinatown, she can explore her subjects in a more controlled setting, here she draws upon influences such as Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino, Annie Leibowitz, Nan Goldin, Steven Meisel and many other of New York’s famous photographers of that time shooting the iconic original supermodels of the 90s.
Autodidactic and intuitive, the work has a visceral punk rock quality. Her disarming presence allowing her the intimacy with her subjects that others would surely be denied. This trust is repaid with a love and admiration that is unmistakably shining through in the images.
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!'" - Jack Kerouac
Growing up in the Bohemian melting pot neighbourhood East Vancouver, in a modern metropolitan city, I have been forever immersed with the fringe and the cutting edge, artists, free thinkers, and avant-garde individuals. Witnessing future trends unfold on the streets years before they hit celebrity culture has been a constant source of inspiration for me. I find great fascination in observing contemporary artists, socialites and musicians, revisiting past times while evolving into future icons, creating a seamless blend of the past and the future is what I strive to express in my work. Drawing from an array of eras, I infuse my art with my nostalgia for the reckless angst of early 90s Grunge, the electronic romance of 80s new wave and post-punk, the raw and gritty rebellion of the late 70s no wave and punk scene, the psychedelic freedom of the late 60’s, the soft femininity of the late 50’s French New Wave Films, the glitz and decadence of the 20s, and the glittery raves of the early 2000s. In my creative process, I seamlessly marry grit and glam, employing techniques that range from dark and saturated low-light compositions to powdery and overexposed dreamy imagery. My colour palette emphasizes electric blues, deep glossy reds, flirtatious hot pinks and hot purples, seedy greens and yellows, and soft ethereal sky-like shades of pinks, purples and blues. Materials like chain, vinyl, leather and lace, often bathed in neon lights, allow me to tell a deeply personal story of a young girl wandering through the underworld of dark and glamorous city spaces filled with underground music scenes. These places are filled with kindred artists possessing a broken beauty, a blend of vulnerability and resilience resonates with me. It is in these enigmatic locales that I connect, explore, experiment and transform myself from surviving the grind of city life to thriving in the city through music, fashion, art, and subculture. The captivating nocturnal allure of these fashion and music filled spaces renews me. Leaving these spaces at night brings a feeling of rebirth the following day that bleeds into my art and leaves me inspired to continue to create. My artistic process is a constant exploration of the visions abundant in the city. I continually immerse myself in diverse manual settings, and I embrace uncertainty as I delve further to be hypnotized and captivated, exalted by a feeling of awe. My approach involves exploring both the breadth and depth of my techniques. Once I exhaust a particular setting, I resurface to experiment with new cameras, lenses, lights, and angles. As an artist, my process revolves around an unending exploration of the transient city, skillfully weaving together the past, present, and future. Descriptive words that encapsulate my style include unrestricted, provocative, femme, nocturnal, neon, industrial, and free. These elements form the foundation of my art, allowing me to communicate my unique perspective to the world.
Musical clients include:
MOAA, Anika, ACTORS, Little Destroyer, LEATHERS, Spectres, Revolution Above Disorder, Sektion Tyrants, FRANKIE, Patriarchy, Subterranean Lovers….
Publications:
In print in The Georgia Straight, Beatroute, Discorder, and online for Les Artefact Magazine and in Neon Taste Magazine.
Testimonials:
Through the years, Analissa has always been a steady inspirational entity
and light within the 'weirdo' underbelly of the Vancouver scene. Her
attention to detail when it comes to fashion transcends this era so
effortlessly... She simply was not made for this time. Every experience I
have had professionally and personally with her seems as though time stops
and we are left dreaming about what beauty can be created between us. It's
so much more about creating a revolution in that moment than the actual
photos being taken. You can see the beauty, pain and dualities of this
life captured through the lens with no fear. Just an ability to connect to
another human in that capacity is a rarity that should never be taken for
granted. Here's to Analissa making Vancouver an even more special place
with her rock and roll heart of gold and a soul this city so desperately
requires.
- Spooks
“Analissa moves apparition-like among scenes which immediately become
alluring under her artist’s gaze. The curtain is pulled back on
underground nightlife, made into touching, raw humanity with her lens.
Individuals and musicians become iconic in her portraiture, colours more
saturated, glittering fever dreams more possible. She captures strength
where it stands tall, softness where it needs a place to rest.”
- Celine Simpson
Catharsis, documenting, community…
ANALISSA LONGORIA