SNS presents: Johnny Komodo

Johnny Komodo is a mixed media artist from Elmont, New York. With a focus on photography and textile manipulation, he has created works that are time capsules of the experiences in his life. To him, his artwork has become a diary of moments that exist beyond words but last forever as memories.

SNS: How is your summer going so far?

J.K: I would say my summer is going pretty well so far actually! I had my first pop-up for my customs which was dope and my birthday just passed so I’m in good spirits. Overall it’s just nice to have the city go back to somewhat of a normal after the year we’ve just had.

SNS: Nice! I agree, it seems like real life is back in a way. What was the last year like for you and how did it contribute to your creative process?

J.K: This past year probably one of the hardest, most humbling time periods of my life. I honestly can only summarize it as a gift and a curse. I felt a lot of pain, a sense of being non essential, sadness, and gratefulness I don’t think I’ve ever felt in my life. When the pandemic first hit, as a photographer I felt there was no purpose for me and my work because at the time, the world needed something different or, I at least perceived it did.

Normally photography offers so many moments for me to be present and focus on the task at hand, which in a way became my form of meditation in the past 5 years. Dyeing clothes filled in the gap and became that outlet for me during that pandemic. The process of mixing colors and techniques, just to see how something would come out, or creating with the idea of a certain art style in mind became my therapy. The pandemic also put a heavy strain on my relationship that led to a breakup and I channelled that energy into my work. There were items I made that went hand in hand with the emotion I was feeling at the time and being able to do that gave me a relief I couldn’t get from anywhere else.

1/3

SNS: Its evident that you put your energy into something positive to take your mind off of what was going on in those moments.

If the pandemic didn’t happen, do you think eventually you would have came across dyeing? Is this something you had been thinking about for a while?

It’s funny you mention emotion going into the work, I was wondering how you were coming up with some of these patterns/colors. We all have seen tie dye before but this is a step up.

J.K: Well I originally started photography with the intent to start a clothing line one day so I think in a way I was always going to come back to clothes. I always looked for ways to make clothing more my “own” so dyeing was something I already thought about. I actually dyed three jackets prior to the start of pandemic so I definitely would have dabbled in it but I don’t think it would have became what it did for me without the lockdown.

Thank you! Yeah when it comes to inspiration, I try to focus on what is the strongest motivating stimuli at the moment and let it guide my direction. Emotion and movement were definitely strong forces in my life last year so it only made sense to approach what I was doing with that in mind.

SNS: The connection with photography and yourself seems strong, how important is photography for you and how does it tie in to what you are currently doing?

J.K: I would say photography is definitely something I hold close to my heart. Without it, I probably wouldn't be where I am today or have a lot of the good people I've met around me along the way. Currently I shoot all of the clothes that I make on friends and models which gives me the ability to capture my own clothes in the exact way I want them to be shot. It's sort of a full circle moment for me for sure coming back to the reason I started shooting in the first place.

SNS: What else is cooking up for the rest of the year?

J.K: For the rest of the summer I’ll be working on some new stuff for the fall. I have a residency at a print shop in Newark which gives me the opportunity to try out some new techniques so I’m really exited for that. If all works out I’m looking to have another pop up at the end of the summer so stay tuned for that.