COURTENEY FRISBY


On finding herself through rave culture︎

My creative background comes from my childhood. I was always the quiet one in the family so needed to express my feelings through something other than communication.
 
Due to my experience and the manner in which i grew up in, I needed more for myself so went to study photography at the University of Westminster.

I felt like I turned up and had no idea of what my visual aesthetic was and there was a certain push to know who I am.


I was introduced to the rave scene, and totally began to look all starry eyed at it. It was like I had found my place and community.

I love how these spaces allow you to escape into an otherworldly vessel; killing assumptions of what identity is.


“Raving has made me feel so empowered. It feels like i have a duty to defend this shared culture”.


My work is influenced a great deal by by photographers such as Dave Swindells. I examined his work for my dissertation on the evolution of rave photography, and fell in love with the long exposure proto-psychedelic atmospheres and swirls of colours. His experimentation led him to find something totally new that enabled him in that divine time to find and refine his artistry.


“I want to create a lot of intimate documentation of subcultures and examine the relationship between spirituality and solidarity. I want to communicate love, realism, freedom and moments” 


I want happiness first of all. I always looked to fill the void within myself, and although i’m not there yet, i know it will be shortly.

My dream is to tour with DJs around the world and document this! To have my prints on clothing and incorperate my love of both fashion and photography. Lastly, to photograph the biggest nightclubs and have this change the way in which nightlife photography is viewed in commercial backgrounds.



All photography Courteney Frisby ︎