Born in Beijing and raised in Singapore, Jingna Zhang is a fashion and fine art photographer and director based in New York City and Seattle. Imbued with love for the Pre-Raphaelites and Japanese anime, Jingna’s work interweaves Asian aesthetics with western art styles, bringing unique visions of painterly and fantastical images to fashion and fine art photography.
Before photography, Jingna was a world-class air rifle shooter representing Singapore at the Commonwealth Games and World Cup. She was the only female founder of a North American esports team in StarCraft 2; and was once a concept artist and illustrator’s agent, with clients including LucasArts, Amazon Publishing, and Sony Online Entertainment.
Jingna majored in fashion design before dropping out of school to pursue photography. She is an alumna of Stanford’s innovation and entrepreneurship program Ignite and a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 listmaker.
Jingna’s works have appeared on multiple editions of Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her clients include Mercedes Benz, Montblanc, and Lancome. Jingna’s fine art works have exhibited at Leica Gallery Milan, Tsinghua University, and Japan Creative Centre in Singapore, and she has spoken at Laguna College of Art and Design, Monterrey Institute of Technology, and Square Enix.
Show Notes:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:05:24 - Self-Expression
- 00:11:54 - Jingna's start in art
- 00:16:20 - Competition
- 00:18:12 - Working with certainty and uncertainty
- 00:22:08 - Resources for growth
- 00:29:39 - Jingna's work with creative writing / the beginner's mindset
- 00:37:31 - Childlike naivety
- 00:39:20 - Jingna's relationship with video games
- 00:47:00 - Wrap up
Graham grew up in Ojai, a small ranching town in Southern California with pink sunsets dipping below the mountains. He spent his childhood exploring Europe and the Southwestern United States with his travel writer father and family.
His upbringing informs his photography, which is largely based in simplicity, nostalgia, nature, and the truth of a moment. Graham lives in Los Angeles with his wife, a kindergarten teacher, and his son, an extremely inventive whippersnapper.
Show Notes:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:04:55 - Teaching all aspects of history
- 00:08:53 - Homogenization of culture
- 00:12:22 - The importance of community
- 00:15:56 - The confluence of non-sequiturs
- 00:18:36 - The shifting landscape of commercial photography
- 00:25:00 - Human psychology within photography
- 00:33:16 - Graham’s projects during covid
- 00:42:45 - Having a “jack of all trades” approach
- 00:48:15 - Personal values influencing the way you approach your career
- 00:54:54 - Having a balanced life
- 00:56:51 - Learning and adapting from experience
- 01:06:00 - Mentorship
- 01:08:00 - Technical learning vs practical learning
- 01:14:32 - Wrap up
AD Non-Weekly Round Up #8 with artist, Jesse Draxler, and Yoshino.
Jesse Draxler was born in rural Wisconsin, studied in Minneapolis, MN, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. A formal mixed media & inter-disciplinary artist, Draxler has exhibited extensively both domestically and internationally.
Draxler collaborates with brands including Hugo Boss, McQ Alexander McQueen, and Ferrari, with original artwork appearing in Elle, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic, among other publications.
Show Notes:
- 00:00:32 - Seasons in life
- 00:07:18 - Focusing on the process instead of the result
- 00:12:05 - The confluence of running and creativity
- 00:16:32 - Self-reflection
- 00:22:16 - Personal values
- 00:34:35 - The practical reality of art
- 00:39:53 - Creativity thorough destruction
- 00:47:56 - Jesse’s personal growth throughout the years
- 00:53:05 - Life and death
- 00:57:09 - The importance of being conscious of one’s physical and mental health
- 01:13:20 - Perspective shifts
- 01:26:14 - Understanding guilt
- 01:42:34 - Wrap up
Nadia Waheed, BFA 2015 School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is a Pakistani-American painter who makes partially autobiographical allegorical figurative paintings that explore selfhood, choice, and cultural trauma. Exhibition history includes shows with Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, BEERS London, Thierry Goldberg in New York, and Gallery 1957 in London. Upcoming exhibitions in 2021 include shows with Andrea Festa Fine Art in Rome, Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai, and Aicon Gallery in New York.
Show Notes:
- 00:04:18 - Being aware of your youth
- 00:05:52 - Having numerous perspectives
- 00:09:40 - Nadia’s childhood
- 00:16:40 - Cultural nuances
- 00:23:07 - The core language approach and inner generational trauma
- 00:27:54 - The influence of mentorship
- 00:31:12 - Politics within the art world
- 00:37:46 - Telling someone who you are, through your actions
- 00:39:30 - Dating and relationships
- 00:46:39 - The loss of community and connectivity
- 00:53:01 - Intentionality and being vulnerable
- 01:00:45 - Being comfortable with who you are
- 01:08:33 - Engaging with emotions and understanding the context
- 01:20:16 - Nadia’s hesitance towards talking about her work
- 01:27:54 - “The curse of the expert”
- 01:34:23 - Commitment
- 01:42:45 - Wrap up
The son of Chinese immigrants, Nicholas came to LA by way of Hawaii and Hong Kong. Working as a truly international director, he has helmed global campaigns for brands like Google, Samsung, Disney, P&G, Kia, Dewars, and Nestle, working closely with top agencies such as BBDO, Ogilvy & Mather, and Iris Worldwide. In the music world, he is an MTV VMA nominated director having shot videos for Nick Jonas, Blink-182, Sara Bareilles, Bastille, Snakehips, Jess Glynne, Monsta X, and more.
Known for his cinematic, emotional, and dynamic visual language, Nicholas' films often center on character-driven stories deeply grounded in humanity and sensitivity. His work has been featured in most major publications including The LA Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, The Telegraph, The Independent, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, Forbes, Booooooom, Shots Creative, Little Black Book, and many more.
When not on set, Nicholas will be found tearing through the canyons in his cars or motorcycle, creating new recipes in the kitchen, or talking watches with fellow nerds.
Show Notes:
- 00:03:04 - The “Three R’s” Philosophy
- 00:05:41 - Finding one’s voice
- 00:08:34 - Filtering your work through a personal lens
- 00:10:14 - Navigating through the music video and film world
- 00:13:10 - Hardships within directors transitioning from music videos to feature films
- 00:18:59 - “The new aesthetic”
- 00:21:06 - Keeping a healthy mindset
- 00:24:36 - Pattern recognition
- 00:27:21 - Psychedelics
- 00:32:27 - The catch-22 nature of technology
- 00:37:00 - Difficulties and rewards within directing
- 00:41:54 - Having a balanced ego
- 00:46:29 - A director’s relevancy in the commercial world
- 00:49:44 - Nicholas’s first feature film
- 00:51:27 - The importance of representation
- 00:53:34 - Redefining the structures within the film industry & Asian American cinema
- 01:09:38- Wrap up
Justin Daashuur Hopkins is a multidisciplinary storyteller (Director and Cinematographer, Musician and Composer, Graphic Designer, and Gallerist).
Born into an artistic household, to renowned Illustrator Chris Hopkins and internationally collected sculptor Jan Hopkins, Justin was raised in Mukilteo, Washington, but now lives and works in Los Angeles. At the age of fifteen, he was already doing professional work for multiple clients, including conceptual merchandising and design for Costco, sound design and illustration for RedBull, and music for ESPN TV spots. He also shot the short film “Baristas,” which played to enthusiastic audiences in New York, LA, and Seattle.
At the age of eighteen, Justin was hired at Olio Inc, an architectural firm specializing in major hotels in places like Vegas and Dubai. He spent the next five years doing architectural and sound design for international clients. In 2009, he struck out on his own, working as a freelance illustrator and fine art painter. He moved to New York and began showing in numerous international exhibitions, in addition to garnering attention for his commercial work.
Upon his return to Los Angeles, Justin co-founded NOH/WAVE, an art agency, and production company, with gallery space downtown. This has given him the opportunity to curate shows by internationally acclaimed artists. His unique aesthetic and attention to detail have made him a sought-after director of film and mixed media video for clients including Universal, RCA, Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Def Jam, and Domino Records.
Show Notes:
- 0:00:00 - Introduction
- 0:05:00 - Analysis of “Woman in the Dunes” by Hiroshi Teshigahara
- 0:11:56 - Lineage of NOH/WAVE
- 0:13:19 - Being A Multidisciplinary Artist
- 0:16:15 - Justin's Transition From Music to Film
- 0:17:50 - Justin’s Family Allowed For Freedom of Expression
- 0:22:10 - Gravitating Toward The Arts
- 0:24:17 - Yoshino’s Filmmaking and Photography
- 0:26:39 - Professional Careers, Making Money, and Artistic Struggle
- 0:30:51 - Romanticizing Artists VS Personal Experiences
- 0:35:23 - Sacrificing For The Work
- 0:40:04 - Learning From Each Other
- 0:41:12 - Evolution of The Self & More “Woman in the Dunes”
- 0:48:58 - Analysis of “Tokyo Sonata” by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- 0:55:21 - Not Examining Just From Surface Level
- 0:58:10 - “An Artist Says a Hard Thing in a Simple Way”
- 1:00:27 - All About The Subtext of Information
- 1:03:55 - Demonization of Drugs and Art
- 1:05:17 - Investing and Monetization of Ignorance
- 1:08:58 - Mythology and Psychology
- 1:10:32 - Film and Book Recommendations
- 1:11:26 - Advice to Artists and Creatives
- 1:14:02 - Wrap Up