Aorist (Nemanja Knezevic)
street photographer
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I am 23 years old student and freelance photographer. Sometimes I used to be a scout few years ago, and that part of my life is something I will never forget.
I started to explore world of photography 3 years ago, and now I'm addicted.
What do you make?
Mostly I make photos, and that occupies my brain most of the time. Sometimes you just can't miss the chance to take a good photo, but it's also important to make pictures in your head everyday, and that will give you wideness when you are outside trying to capture something interesting. I was working for daily newspaper here in Serbia as a photojournalist, now I’m freelancing and assisting other photographers.
I also make other things like music releases, t-shirts and stuff with one friend on our small, independent record label & booking called SuperSizeSheRecords.
Where else on the web can we find you?
You can find me on Flickr, and on Myspace also.
Soon there will be my website online.
What did you dream about last night?
It was weird, I don’t dream often, but last night I dreamt that I was in Art Academy, visiting one of my friends, and while I was waiting for him in central hall I put out pencil from my pocket and start to draw lines on exhibited work there.
Pretty rude, I must say. I would never do such things in real life.
What inspires you?
Traveling always inspired me so much. Lately I was in Berlin and comes back packed with enormous amount of energy and new ideas. It’s great seeing new faces and Doing various DIY things also inspires me and gaves me hope that content & quality events/shows/records can be done by everyone who have ideas and energy.
Where do you live and what do you like about it?
I live in Belgrade, Serbia (Europe).
What I like here is nice, young and creative people that surrounds me, and after that I like city and its mystical corners and differences.
Beside all negative aspects of this city, there are plenty of varieties you can fit into.
What is your biggest fear?
Something Oh, I try not to think about fears, but let say that my fear is to be left alone for long period of time, like months. I can cope with everything else fine.
Of course war is on my list of fears, but that's no pure fear, it's something like I don't want to happen again to anyone. We had some bad experiences here wars and everything sad that comes after. happening to my family.
Name a few of your favorite movies \ books \ websites \ bands:
It’s really hard to mention all great stuff that inspired me through the years, but I can tell you what influenced me lately.
Movies:
The Fountain - the best you can get from Darren Aronofsky (he was director of -famous and well-known Requiem for a Dream). Take a look on his other films, especially Pi, I was blown away after looking it.
Låt den rätte komma in - amazing music, photography and atmosphere packed perfect in this drama/romance that comes from even more amazing Sweden.
Books:
'Dance of Days' (by Mark Andersen & Mark Jenkins), detailed history of Washington's punk scene from 70's. I'm still reading it, it's better to say I can't take my hands off it.
'It's All Good' (by Boogie) - mostly photos of junkies and gangs in New York, but there are also some good, short stories by those who are involved in all this chaos.
Websites:
www.artcoup.com & www.artcoup.blogspot.com photos by Boogie, New York based photographer. Every day there are one new photo, which is really cool, it pushes you to come back daily; not to mention high quality of presented work, when we are speaking of street/life photography.
Bands: Telefon Tel Aviv, Beck, Guernica, Battles, Russian Circles, Off Minor... and so on. Music is neverending story.
What are you really good at? What are you really bad at:
I'm really good, hmmm, it will be better others to say that, but from my point of view I'm good at organizing things and, not always, remembering.
I'm really bad at coming on time anywhere, it just tends to be my chronic disease.
What is your favorite thing to eat?
Olives, good cheese, lasagna, falafel. Italian food mostly, but when it comes to food I'm always open for new experiences. Recently I ate some unbelievable turkish kebab.
How would you like to be remembered?
Rememberance is a short-lived thing, if we consider life of one star for example. According to this, I don’t give a shit about that.
Maybe I would like my work to be remembered, and if my dreams come true, anyone who now knows me will be dead at that time.
What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
I can’t remember right now, of course there was something sometimes, but I don’t bother about that.
Anything else you would like to say:
Read, look, observe. Believe in your ideas, and then through working let them comes out. Make contacts, not for job only, but for good and honesty relationships. And be nice to people.
* all photos were taken by Russian film cameras Smena 8M and Smena Symbol.