A conversation with rising star Juno Calypso, for #PHOTOGRAPHY Magazine Issue 13
Ameena Rojee: Ok, so, please introduce yourself!
Juno Calypso: I’m Juno Calypso, I was born and raised in London where I still work, and I’m an artist and photographer
AR: Nice to officially meet you! This might sound a bit cheeky but is Juno Calypso your real name?
JC: Yes and no… Juno is my real name and my last name does begin with a C, but it’s a Maltese name that no one can spell or pronounce. So, I decided to make things easier for myself and use Calypso instead, which was the name I was originally going to be called as a baby.
AR: So I read that you’re half Maltese, is that right? What’s the other half?
JC: A bit of english, a bit of Irish. So I’m pale and hairy and I look like I should tan but I don’t. It’s an interesting look.
AR: Interesting mix, that sucks about the tanning! Malta’s always been a country of interest to me, I went there once when I was 14 and it seems like such a beautiful country. Have you been much? What’s the culture like?
JC: It’s beautiful. It gets used all the time as a film location, and I think Brad and Angelina were there the last time I was there, filming on a beach. I prefer the interiors though. Many of the houses have that time warp look about them… matching curtain sets and lots of tacky Catholic ornaments. They even have a baby Jesus museum there that I really want to go to!
AR: Oh wow that sounds like a really interesting place to photograph, a baby Jesus museum!? I have to admit when I went I spent pretty much 99% of my time on the beach! Regret that now..! Have you ever done any photography work there or plan to?
JC: It’s true, the beach is the best place to be. I have done some photography work in Malta, though. Actually, most of the pink photographs from Joyce II were done in Malta.
AR: Oh that’s interesting to know — is that including 12 reasons you’re tired all the time too?
JC: Yes, that was the best location I’ve ever found! It was just on Airbnb for 10 euros a night.
AR: Amazing, so you actually found it like that? Pink curtains, pink walls and pink couch, they were already there?
JC: Yes, it was insane! I had to crop out all the crucifixes on the wall, and she had a copy of ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’ on her bedside table!
AR: Wow… that’s pretty mad, it sounds like something straight out a movie! I think it’s my favourite image from the whole series… it just has this slightly sinister tone to it because of the mask. What is that by the way?
JC: It’s my other favourite discovery — The Linda Evans Rejuvenique Facial Toning System. It’s a ‘rejuvenating’ anti-wrinkle mask. It’s got all these gold pins on the inside that vibrate and electrocute your face to make it look plump and beautiful. I’ve never turned it on, it freaks me out.
AR:That sounds terrifying! Where did you find it!?
JC: eBay!
AR: Of course, the things you find on eBay..!
JC: It’s my inspiration for sure.
AR: Let’s go a bit deeper into this image. Like I was saying, it’s a bit sinister because of the mask, and yet the pink hues make me think of, well, happy little girls. The combination of that is really strange — even the fact that everything is pink is a bit strange! I just can’t stop looking — what is the concept behind it? What were you trying to show? Did the mask come first, before the concept?
JC: The room was the first step. I didn’t really plan a concept or using the mask in there, I just had it in my suitcase of props. I think I was so overwhelmed that I’d found the perfect room that I didn’t really plan anything, I just let it happen.
AR: I spent 4 days in there, trying things out. I remember putting on the white, beaded dress first, then the wig and finally the mask, and the first shot I took with that combination I fell in love with. This was after 4 days of zero success and months of sourcing and planning beforehand, so it wasn’t simple!
JC: So this project in general — it began quite suddenly didn’t it? If I remember correctly you started out playing around with self-portraits because you didn’t have a model?
AR: Yes, exactly. I did have a model, but I would always use myself first to check the set-up… but then I would never show anyone those pictures. It was my university tutor who saw them and loved them, so I have her to thank for this whole thing!
AR: Had you ever done “proper” self-portraits before this then? By that I mean not from testing for a shoot etc, but work that you’ve shown to other people, or is “Joyce” your first project involving self-portraiture as a photography genre?
JC: I’ve always taken pictures of myself, but only for myself, or to send to boys as a teenager. I have a whole folder of self-portraits from the age of 7 to the present day.
AR: You kept self-portraits you’ve taken since you were 7? That’s pretty intriguing. Are you thinking about making some work about them?
JC: I already have, sort of. I made a timeline when I was at university with all the images in a neat line, and the same tutor who I mentioned above also loved this work. This was just months before ‘selfie’ became a thing though, and so now I’m not sure how interesting it is, when we’re so saturated with selfies. Maybe I’ll bring it out when I’m 65 at my retrospective!
AR: I’d love to see that to be honest — even with the selfie craze. It seems like an interesting follow-up to Joyce, where you put on a character. This would be quite “revealing” I guess, as I suppose it’s the opposite to the Joyce images in a way.
JC: I’m glad you said that because I’ve been thinking about it a lot actually. I think there’s always doubts about putting out work like that, when it’s so personal or could be seen as narcissistic. On the other hand, every person I’ve shown it to, it makes all the work click for them, so I suppose it’s a useful piece.
AR: Once, this guy kept going on about me being a ‘pastiche’ of Cindy Sherman in a really patronizing way, so I emailed him the timeline and that shut him up! It’s like, I’ve been doing this since I was 7 man.
JC: Urgh there’s always one! But there you go, it’s a good piece of work that you’ve been doing a hell of a long time! We’ll be interested to see if you develop it any further.
AR: Thank you.
JC: Bringing the conversation back to Joyce — you said your university tutor saw some images you’d made and persuaded you to carry on. So in a sense the images came before the concept? Because there’s some ideas in your project that have undertones of feminism, that challenge gender identity. Is that what you had in mind when you began the project? Or did it just kind of grow into it, as projects tend to do?
AR: Yes, in a way the images did come first… but I’ve always been interested in Feminism. My photography work before Joyce, however, was very fashion and beauty-based, and very typical in the way it portrayed women — looking gorgeous, but not really saying anything.
JC: So that way of working, with fashion/beauty, seems to have influenced your style in the Joyce images. It’s interesting to see this style being brought over to a project with a serious concept, it’s something that you don’t see often, perhaps because it comes from the fashion/beauty genre which tend to portray women as you said, looking gorgeous but not really saying anything, or saying negative things. Is it a style you’ve been carrying on in future projects or are you looking to try something new?
AR: I always find it funny to mimic fashion poses and facial expressions, and take them to the point of absurdity. I think that it’ll always be a part of my work, here and there. As for the style, I think I’ll always be attracted to glossy images, pictures that look edible. I would like to continue experimenting, though. I’d like to make darker work alongside funny work. I’ve been doing a lot of blue work recently, which is a nice change.
JC: That is a great saying, pictures that look edible. I love that, it’s such a perfect way to describe them! I’m glad to hear you want to make darker work, we would absolutely love to see that. You’ve definitely got a great eye for juxtaposition.
AR: Talking about blue work, your project ‘Eternal Beauty’ is new work correct? What’s the story behind this?
JC: Yes it’s new work. I started it last year when I was feeling a bit disillusioned with the whole pink theatrical thing in my work, I just wasn’t feeling happy and energetic enough to make those type of images — I wanted to make something a bit more melancholy, which is why the blue worked so well.
AR: We’ve all been there. So what is the project about? Is it a video piece?
JC: Yes — well, those stills are from a video that I’m still experimenting with. I want them to loop in a very particular way. I was going to re-film it because something about it wasnt quite right, and it was driving me mad so instead I published the stills first, and I quite like the mystery that came from that. Now, everyone wants to see the film but there might never be one! Which is easier for me, but I would like to exhibit it somehow.
AR: Mysterious is the word, I’m very curious about the film. It’s so intriguing to see film stills published first though from a film that might not ever exist fully, it’s quite a backwards way of doing things but definitely an interesting way to play around with things. Are we allowed to know any of the story/stories?
JC: I would if there was one! There’s purposefully not much narrative to the work; there’s a feeling, a mood. It might be the mood I’m in at the time, or the imaginary mood of someone in my position wearing these weird masks, but I don’t really sit down and come up with a story or meaning. I like the audience to read into it themselves. So, it’s especially lovely to hear women telling me that they relate to the character, even though her story is so ambiguous.
AR: That’s pretty awesome, and I’m glad you let people read into it. Already just from the two stills on your website I’m forming my own little story in my head… It does remind me of like a dark version of Grease, the part where the girl drops out to go to beauty school but finds out it isn’t for her.
JC: Oh my god yes, I love that scene they did for the ‘Beauty School Dropout’ song, with the silver hair rollers! That would be my dream shoot. ‘The Skin We Live In’ is a really good film that looks visually similar to the blue work.
AR: Let’s move on from your projects and back to you. I’d like to know where you get your inspiration — is it books? Films? People, locations or other types of art?
JC: A lot of films — anything by Pedro Almodovar, Stanley Kubrick or Matthew Barney. Books as well — ‘The Beauty Myth’ by Naomi Wolf was a massive inspiration for the project. I’m also always inspired by people — I love reality TV and the people you get on there.
AR: I can definitely see the film inspiration! Especially the Stanley Kubrick actually, now that you mention his name. Reality TV is an interesting inspiration! It does make me want to hit my head on something hard sometimes but the people on there are fascinating. The stories are so ridiculous sometimes.
JC: They are. I like it when you see the cracks in a perfect life though, and the awkward moments and the fake tan!
AR: If you could, what advice would you give to your first-year university self?
JC: Pay attention in practical lessons, because you’ll never want to learn that again. Use all the equipment you have access to while you have access to it, and don’t worry about making money from photography, just be weird and have fun!
AR: All great pointers! And finally, what’s next?
JC: My next step is to have my first solo show in London, which I’m making all new work for at the moment. As for the distant future, I just want to get better at what I do, and for more people to see my work!
AR: Wonderful! Well, we hope that we get to see your solo show soon — thank you for talking to me, it was a great interview and I hope you enjoyed it although I know it was a bit long!
JC: Thank you so much for having me! I loved it.
AR: It was my pleasure, good luck for the future and hope to speak again soon!
JC: Thank you, you too!
