Get to know Krys Fox
While many of you may just know the smiling face scanning you in at the door, our very own Krys Fox is actually an award-winning and accomplished photographer! He’s had multiple sold-out gallery shows here in NYC and across the pond, and was recently on Hulu’s first reality show, Exposure.
We thought it would make sense to shine some light on this gem’s life outside of UltraMaroon, and asked Matty Glitterati to help us get to know him a bit better. They sat down to chat about Krys’ beginnings in NYC, past lives, and what the future may possibly hold. Check their conversation out!
For October’s Creature Feature, I am excited to highlight someone very special to me (I may be biased…): Yes, we get to talk about visionary photographer and legendary door god, the incomparable Krys Fox!
It’s Halloween season, so selecting Krys makes complete sense: the macabre is not only their wheelhouse, but ghosts, ghouls and everything in between basically comprise Krys’ existence. You know him too: Krys is the first person you see when you enter Blue and last person to see you stumble out onto the streets of midtown, beaming with UltraMaroon’s beats still coursing through your veins. Let’s dig in!
MG: How long have you lived in the city? What brought you to NYC?
KF: I have lived in NYC for 13 years now, I think? I've lost count, 13 or 14. I grew up in Southern California and always had big time dreams of living in New York. I moved here originally for a relationship. That relationship didn't last, but my monogamous tryst with NYC is going strong.
MG: When did you first pick up a camera? Your style is very specific, what is your main goal when sitting down with a model?
KF: Thank you! Yeah I have been told that I have a very specific shooting style. I don't think it is very intentional, but it's a good thing in the art world to have a recognizable style! I first started taking pictures when I was very young. Took my first class for photography at age 7 and had my first solo exhibition at 19. When sitting down with models to plan a shoot, I think my goal is to find out who they REALLY are, what they want to show the world and how comfortable they are in front of a lens. The aspects of photography I love the most is creating new worlds, playing make believe and getting to share deep connections with my subjects. So asking questions and really listening to people and feeling their energy really helps to make something that feels real, and meaningful.
MG: While we were on hiatus for the Summer break, you were shooting a lot on Fire Island. What was your favorite event to photograph this past summer and why?
KF: It feels mean to pick a favorite event I shot, because there were definitely great moments and fab people to shoot at each one! I think, if I had to choose, I'd say the Pines Party photobooth images were my favorite images to shoot in maybe the hardest conditions. It was a stressful set up and a grueling evening shooting so late at night, on the beach, kind of hoping everything would turn out. But the set we created was so beautiful and the images turned out very close to what I'd envisioned during the storyboard phase. I wanted very badly to create surreal colorful mythological imagery as a homage to one of my idols who passed away earlier this year, my friend James Bidgood, and I think we absolutely created some real beach magic that night.
MG: Who is your favorite superhero?
KF: Hmmmmm... I kinda veer towards AntiHeroes or SuperVillains.. Harley Quinn is my all time fav. Heroes.. heroes... hmmm... I grew up loving Aquaman the best. Riding around with giant pink seahorse and bleach blonde hair. He was so cool to me. Nowadays everyone sees Aquaman as a badass that looks like Jason Mamoa. And that's great for him!! But man did I get a lot of shit for liking Aquaman in the 80s. He was not cool back then, but I've always found him dreamy and the coolest. Plus he can talk to sharks!!
MG: What is your dream photoshoot?
KF: I always have a hard time with this question. I have lots of photoshoots that turn up as nightmares, does that count? I've had a recurring dream for about 15 years of me doing a shoot at sunset in a 70s VW bus with curtains and shaggy carpet with Nicole Kidman. It's just me and her and EVERYTHING GOES WRONG. Battery dies, memory cards are corrupted, losing light quick.. and the whole time she just laughs and laughs. And I'm like "Nicole!! This is serious!!" And then I wake up. So i guess I wanna create this shoot so I stop having the nightmare and get to giggle with Nic.
MG: Your STYX Series is so hauntingly beautiful. How did you come up with the concept and will it ever be El Fin?
KF: Oh thank you!! I love it! I've been shooting those portraits since 2010 and though I have taken breaks for a year or two here and there, it's been a pretty consistent series for me. The concept was to combine two things I visually find arresting.. first was turn of the century death portraits, Memento Mori. Death images to celebrate life and honor the recently passed. Second inspiration is Greek Mythology and the River Styx, how people who had passed had coins placed over their eyes to pay Charon the ferryman for their passage across the River Styx to the afterlife. So I combined these things, and started using coins and other small round items over my subjects eyes, but over the years this has grown to be anything... flowers, found objects, personal keepsakes, anything that reflects the person I'm honoring. And no. It probably will never be done but damn I'd love to make a coffee table book of what I've shot so far. There's Hundreds of models so far in the series, friends, lovers, actors, musicians, children, pets and a few folks who we have already lost.
MG: Besides photography, what other artistic endeavors do you have in the works?
KF: I have a podcast with my sexy hubby called DIRTY PILLOWS. It's a funny queer horror podcast that just started its 3rd season! I was recently on a photo competition reality series on Hulu called EXPOSURE, and all the episodes are up and ready to binge! Being on that show reignited my love for being in front of a camera. I was an actor as a child and have recently started that back up! I shot a horror film this spring with queer cinema legend Todd Verow called YOU CANT STAY HERE. It stars Guillermo Díaz and takes place in NYC during the early 90s, it's in post production now and should arrive spring of 2023!
MG: A little birdy told me you used to be gogo dancer! What was your signature look? Any song that still makes your inner gogo come alive?
KF: Haha! Yes! I was a teenage gogo boy. Gogo dancing was my intro to gay nightlife back in the 90s. I danced all over Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Best money I ever made. Plus it was a great job for someone who loves to dance but has social anxiety issues. I got to get on my box and dance my butt off, and got paid! I was always the tiniest dancer in the group so I'd play characters. The nerd in the gym, with glasses and a bloody nose. With a golden inhaler around my neck. The tattooed airhead a la Goldie Hawn in Laugh In. A bandaged up fighter with black eyes and a Sin City trench. Fun fun times. Back in day, to really get my GoGo going... I'd request Nine Inch Nails or Prince. Hard to come by in queer spaces, but NIN makes me so hot n bothered.
MG: If you could’ve lived in any other time period what would it be and what would you do for a living?
KF: Hmmmmm..... my go to answer for this has always been the 60s and 70s and I'd be a touring rock photographer. Live on a tour bus with Janis Joplin or Lynyrd Skynryd or The Stones and shoot all the mayhem and rock n roll the audience didn't see. But recently after watching a documentary called Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, about this charismatic hustler to the stars, I think the best job ever would be to be a sex worker to the stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood. You think I'm kidding, but I'm dead serious! It looks soooo fun!
MG: What if your current favorite street stomping song?
KF: Depends on my mood and where I'm going.. but my fav stuff to listen to while out n about are Bikini Kill, The Beatles, The Kills and Ani DiFranco. Though my "theme song" will always be Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill.
Thank you for chatting with us Krys! You can find more of Krys Fox’s art at www.Krysfox.com! Follow him on IG at @krysfox and @krysfoxphotpgraphy and finally, @TheDirtyPillowsPodcast is available where ever you get your podcasts! Oh, and don’t forget to grab your tickets to UltraMaroon on November 13!
<3 Matty Glitterati