She could be snapping pictures at your show, creatively directing the shoot for your birthday, making your flyers, or adding the magic to your music video and you wouldn’t even know because all you’d see is someone LIVING. There’s a seamless connection between Life & Art that occurs when we start dealing with genius. For example, Michael Jackson is no more dancer than he his arranger or fashion icon. Marcie is no more photographer than she is hip hop head or any more tree connoisseur than she is a writer. Then again, perhaps I’m putting the pussy on a pedestal. This is why we do interviews. Let’s see if we can find out what Miss Navarro learns from Life through her ability to slow it down.
SONDRIA: Let’s start with photography. How have the observations you’ve made in photos altered your lifestyle? Are there any photographers who have significantly influenced your work? Who? How so?
MARCIE: questions like these are intimidating. leibovitz and lachapelle. because they represent two things i admire and strive to embody, the representation of humanity in it's various spaces and the manipulation of space, time, and pop culture.
SONDRIA: What’s the most memorable photo you’ve ever seen? Why was this one so poignant?
MARCIE: The most memorable photo's I've seen are all the ones from my childhood, old family ones. I've seen plenty of great and powerful photos by successful photographers, but there is something about the genuineness of a snapshot that really inspires. It's the rawness, the communication of the moment without any set up or digital assistance, just snap and there you go.
SONDRIA: How do you choose what to magnify and what to minimize? What are you trying to teach/give the people through photography?
MARCIE: It's funny how you evolve as a photographer and suddenly you're not really putting so much thought into taking a "good" picture. When I compose a shot lots of things go into it; composition, color, texture, all the basics you learn when you first pick up a camera. Those become second nature and when you have an image in your view you just know how to put it together, it's all very fluid and natural, following your gut. You ask what your subject is, what feelings do you want the end result to evoke and then you work it out to get the image you want. This happens quickly, again, it's natural. I don't know, it's just, a click and a picture. hopefully a good one. My intention is to captivate, motivate, educate, inspire, and provoke. I started with photography and film solely to communicate so with different projects I intend different things, but mostly, yeah, I just want people to take something from the pieces. Oh and I for sure want people to get in touch with film photography and the darkroom process. The work it takes to get a good print is incredible and deserves some real respect. The digital age is exciting and innovative, but there's nothing like being in the darkroom, I mean nothing.
SONDRIA: What are your goals as far as films are concerned? What film makers—independent or not—have influenced you? How have they moved you?
MARCIE: haha, oh this question. off the top of my head hitchcock, tarantino, and anderson. hitchcock was a genius, no need to go over that. tarantino has perfected his vision while paying homage to all his influences from spaghetti-westerns to kung-fu, some people call him a knock off, i consider him an engineer and a pure maniac when it comes to dialogue. anderson's breakdown of human interactions are always spot on and quirky, i can dig it. i also take great interest in french new wave, silent films, and experimental art films from the early 1900's, it's really interesting to see them play with this new technology.
SONDRIA: How do you plan to contribute to the film industry? Are you bringing a new style, or improving on classic technique?
MARCIE: i'm still looking to develop my voice and with that i hope to bring a new style by improving a classic technique. wow, i just realized my caps-lock use is non-existent at this point. i want to contribute by being able to tell a story in a new, original, and effective way. sometimes people miss that and you watch something and at the end are left wondering what the hell that was. you have to learn the rules of story telling and film making before you attempt to break any. story, story is key. a good director can make a terrible script effective, and a bad director can kill even the best story. having style is definitely important, but all style and no story makes jack a dull film maker.
SONDRIA: What are some of you favorite movies and why?
MARCIE: most of my favorite movies are the ones i grew up with, the ones that first struck my interest. back to the future, ruthless people, full metal jacket, willy wonka, city slickers, john wayne anything, james bond..i really can't do this question justice. they're my favorite because they showed me that i can create an alternate reality which was reassuring for a kid like me because my head was and continues to be constantly in the clouds. i watched willy wonka and thought, well damn, why can't x and y happen. it opened a flood gate.
SONDRIA: Where and how does writing fit into your life? Is your main goal to write either fictionally or not? Or are you down to write whatever, whenever?
MARCIE: i write whenever, wherever. it's instinct to do that, it's a method of expression. sometimes they're thoughts, romanticized conversations with ex-lovers, random situational happenings, dreams, screenplays, free verse. I write on things i find interesting so that i can share it with the world. and you see, that's the thing, that's how i see it. i write it, shoot it, snap it, copy & paste it, all with the hopes that i can share it with the world. innocent enough, right? so my goal is to share. oh and stream of consciousness, love it. i get stoned a lot and write. yeah.
SONDRIA: How do you choose which writing projects to take on?
MARCIE: which i choose to write? they choose me.
SONDRIA: How motivated are you to consistently put pen to paper? What keeps you motivated?
MARCIE: honestly, i'm not as motivated or dedicated as a lot of writers i've met, but that comes with time. my consistency has improved from this time last year and that's just going to get better. when it's an assignment or something for someone else, it's intimidating to stare at a blank screen or a blank piece of paper and think "okay, i have to come up with something worthy" but you learn to conquer that hurdle quickly but jumping on the page and writing it. shit or get off the pot. what keeps me motivated is my determination to make the most of each day. i've no right wasting my life when people are struggling to live theirs. my life consists of seeing and documenting, experiencing and sharing. staying motivated comes easy to some and not so easy to others. i had a routine: i run around my apartment or whereever i'm at trying to distract myself. bad habits. but when i sit down and it starts flowing, it doesn't stop. i end up pages deep before i realize i've been writing for hours. i've picked up a few techniques for keeping the flow going and i carry a notebook constantly. well, i use to. now it's notes on my iphone. but the idea is the same: STAY WRITING. write what you see, write what you hear..write write write. even if it's bullshit, some of the best thing's come from shit! well, you get what i'm saying. oh and i try to stay away from TV and unnecessary internet use. distractions. i'm such a sucker for them!
SONDRIA: Who are some of your favorite writers and why?
MARCIE: palahniuk, fitzgerald, ellis, plato, aristotle, descartes, salinger. ooh, dirty name dropper. ;] why? because they write and i repeatedly read it. because they have something to say and hey do it wonderfully. because when you read their words, you feel it. because they make the wheels turn..
SONDRIA: It seems as though you’ve chosen art forms that require a great deal of slowing life down, picking it apart, and restructuring it as you see fit. How long have you wanted to be God?
MARCIE: since i learned he turns water into wine. the catholics aren't laughing. haha . as far back as i can remember i've imagined life in every way other than what it really is. i'm an arranger. it's just fun imagining "what if". you pick it apart to it's most raw element, relative to the moment. i hope this makes sense. i daydream all the time, lots of ideas come from daydreaming, lots.
SONDRIA: What are some projects you’re currently working on?
MARCIE: i'm working on my first book. currently i'm in the darkroom working on image selection. rolls to develop, all sortsa fun. there's alot going on in my head, it's all execution at this point. i get distracted so easily, it's really quite terrible. but my intensity matches so when i'm in, I'M IN! i'm going to disappear for a year and reemerge next summer with a book release, a contract with rolling stone or wallpaper, and a range rover. mark my words. x
SONDRIA: Is there an artist or anyone that you’d love to work with? A sort of dream project?
MARCIE: i'd like to curate a multi-media experience with kanye west. i LOVE kanye west. i've seen him numerous times and each time is better than the last. i was 20 feet from him during "hey mama" and in traditional kanye fashion he brought out his mom. they danced and sang. it was amazing. he's so amazing and full of love. people think he's arrogant and rude. he's funny and laughing at all of you on his way to the bank. anyways, the idea would be to interpret his catalog into something people can touch, see, and experience. something other than music videos. we'd have our after party at brooklyn bowl with the opening reception at the brooklyn museum. i have a thing for brooklyn. i'd also like to photograph all my favorites. i have a big list of favorites.
SONDRIA: Do you have any advice for people interested in expressing themselves and contributing using several different medium? How is it possible to fit everything in? Or is it possible?
MARCIE: just go. the more you think the less you create. just do it. you wan to take pictures? buy a camera and take pictures. you want to write? WRITE! you want to make gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches? well get to cooking! funny thing is, this is easier said than done. i can't say i write or photograph all the time, but i should. the more you explore the better you become. you may find you like one medium more than another, writing over playing the guitar, painting over piano, whatever. what matters is your making art, so keep doing it. i don't know if it's possible fitting everything in, but it's sure fun trying. oh and never, ever let the money kill it for you. what your art doesn't produce, the streets do, so get to hustling.
Instead of an outro written by me, Miss Navarro sent over a rant along with her interview…I’d like to share it with you. Enjoy, and pay attention to YOUR life!
Love & Water,
Sondria
Marcie’s Rant
i like to rant, so here goes.
i'm picking up an enlarger from my friend this weekend and then i'm going to turn my bedroom into a darkroom. it's going to be tricky and it's probably a bad idea, but i have to try. i enjoy writing and photography and film because it allows me to communicate and regardless of what anyone thinks, we live for a connection. i want to connect with everyone. i want everyone to share a common thread. i'm a hippie, a peace maker. always have been. when i was a kid i use to ask "why can't we all just get a long, help each other, and live life?" but i was asking because i literally did not understand why that wasn't an option, i was dumbfounded. WHEN IN THE HELL IS LOVE NOT AN OPTION? it makes no sense..adults make no sense. i'm just starting to get serious about getting serious so this is going to be an interesting time to be me. i'm scared, but that's because this is going to be soo good. to make sure i don't get down on whatever there is to get down about, i repeat "be productive and proactive" and it works. i start doing shit and 4 hours later i've knocked out an insane to-do list. mind over matter. always, always mind of matter. i cyber stalk random people. it's amazing what the internet has done for my ability to focus. i'm bored about five minutes into anything with a glare over my eyes and i'm usually behind them thinking about what i did the night before or who won the dodger game. goddamn dirty internet.
i hope i've entertained you.
xo
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