Cajsa's Choices: The Dark & Fantastic Second Life Pop Art of Freekency Banx

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

In an earlier column, I noted that I am entranced by Freekency Banx’s photostream — a stream full of Second Life photos that suggest stories. His photostream is filled with pictures are that macabre, humorous, grotesque, frightening, and eerie. The only thing they are not is ordinary. I reached out to interview him about his photos.

Banx is from France and used an online translator for the interview as his English, as he remarked, “is not really perfect.” Perhaps he is naturally taciturn or the language barrier kept his answer short, but it really does not matter. His pictures speak for themselves.

How would you describe your photo style or aesthetic?

I'm a instinctive and an intuitive photographer. I love to listen to those two animal senses when I create pictures. My ideas do not come from calculation, but from emotion.

Often, I think there is a story behind your photos. There is a before and after we don't see. Would you share one of those stories?

Sure, my photos have stories, a before and an after. When I look there, I have my stories and they are personal, But the public have their stories, too. You see what you want to see, before and after.

You seem to be fascinated by the macabre. Where does that come from?

I don’t know if my pics are macabre, I am a man of my time and of my culture. Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Scorsese, Lynch, Punk, New Wave, the 80's and more influence my art. it s a mix of all of that and of my personality.

What is your favorite of your own photos?

I will give you two that I like very much. There is "Supernatural" [above], and "The Sacrificial Altar" [below]. And "Childhood Dream" [second below]. It is difficult.  

Who are your favorite SL photographers/bloggers?

I like the work of "Flore" [Floriana Thor] on Flickr.

What brought you to Second Life? What keeps you in Second Life?

At the beginning SL was a simple curiosity. Clubs and all of that part of SL are not for me. SL for me is a place to put my ideas into pictures.

How has SL changed your first life?

SL not changed my first life, I don’t want that. The time that I consecrate to SL stays in SL.

What are you interested in sharing about your RL?

I don't take photos in RL. It’s really different, because I love, create, invent, and dream, and do the impossible in SL. Because clubs and love are not for me, I tried to put my ideas into pictures..

Cajsa Lilliehook joined Second Life in 2007 and has been enjoying the art of SL ever since. Disliking the common practice of critiquing poor photos, she decided to highlight good ones and explain why they work in hopes of inspiring with praise instead of criticism. Follow Cajsa on Flickr, on Twitter or on her blog.

Comments

[Pulsar]

Macabre, but pretty creative and you can imagine a story. Good job!