Ritty Tacsum

Experimental photographer and multimedia artist. Finding beauty in the unconventional, Ritty makes art that is unique, surreal, and often dark and layered with meaning. 

 

What’s your backstory and what are you doing in life right now? 

I started taking photos back when I was around 11. At the time it was purely to take photos of my college friends and teachers. I used to borrow the cameras from one of my brothers, which I never returned back to him 😀 After three years working at a fast food chain, I got my very own camera. Initially taking photos was just a means of capturing friends and family doing random and weird shit. A year after launching my art account on Tumblr, I was invited to hold my first solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv, and since my debut in 2011, I had shows in the UK, USA, Italy, Israel and Taiwan.

After high school, I quit school and went exploring the world while doing some freelance communications and digital marketing work. I returned back to University at the age of 24, where I studied 3D Animation. I’ve always had a passion for anything digital, be it art or marketing. As I studied and worked, I was also setting up exhibitions both locally and internationally.

At the moment I’m doing a Master of Science in Digital Marketing, working in the field of Digital Marketing, as well as working on two projects that I’m hoping to launch in the coming year.

Name one defining moment from your life.

When I was six years old, my mother ended up blind due to an operation gone wrong. Since then I started looking at life in a total different way. I’ve learnt not to take things for granted (particularly my health) and to always appreciate the people around you, especially family. Growing up I was always super sensitive to everything around me; I always felt different to my peers. The older I grew the more I realized that we all have shit to deal with, the only difference is how one deals with it.

How long have you been doing art?

2009

How would you describe your style?

Experimental – I use anything available to get my ideas out there; be it a scanner, a camera, a photocopier, coding, 3d programs or whatever it takes to eject an idea from my brain.

Favorite artform/s that you partake in.

Photography, 3d, painting (occasionally)

Favorite artform/s that you don’t partake in.

Writing and drawing.

Favorite food-drink combo for when you’re down in the dumps.

A good bottle of red wine and a classic plate of Carbonara.

What does your creative process look like?

Most of the times I get inspired just before I sleep or during sleep. I then sketch the idea, and try to find the best ways on how to visualize it and the resources I require.

 

How do you get over a creative block?

I go through books, watch movies and listen to music that inspires me. This works around 10% of the time, btw.

 

What do you struggle with as an artist?

I am a bit of an introvert, and sometimes I don’t really explain my vision well to the models – obviously that ends up giving me a totally different outcome to what I had in mind. I prefer working with people I know because it’s usually more comfortable for both parties. When it comes to what I do, people need to trust you, and you cannot really have 100% trust on the first shoot.

What do you do when you need a break from art?

Cooking, kayaking, gardening, working out, and reading.

Name one big accomplishment and an equally big fail from your life.

Big accomplishment – exhibiting at the MOCA Taipei with big artists such as Patricia Piccinini, Björk and Saya Wolfalk.

Biggest fail – walking out during a presentation on my work to a large audience due to stage fright.

If money was no object, how would you spend your time on this earth?

I would probably buy a large warehouse, somewhere remote, and spend my days doing concrete furniture, and build sets for my shoots.

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Instagram: @rittytacsum

https://rittytacsum.tumblr.com/

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