Victoria Foster
Editor of Aleim Magazine
For Aleim Magazine Victoria interviewed Darren Aronofsky
Victoria Foster got her start at CAA and has worked in development on feature films and advertizing content since 2003 at companies that include Mosaic Media, TBS, and the renowned TV commercial production company MJZ. She was involved with the development of SEASON OF THE WITCH starring Nicholas Cage, PATHFINDER starring Karl Urban, and in the packaging of HORRIBLE BOSSES, STARDUST, and the indie feature SHRINK, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams, which debuted at Sundance in 2009. Ms. Foster developed film concepts for CAA clients as a member of their Creative Group and served as Director of Development for their filmmaker clients Marcus Nispel (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) and Kevin Donovan (THE TUXEDO). Most recently, she served as the VP of Development & Production at Voyage Media, a company that helps package and sell high-profile entertainment projects for clients that include Jerry Bruckheimer Productions, Warner Music Group, Fremantle Media, A&E, and many others. Victoria holds an M.F.A. in Directing from the U.S.C. School of Cinema-Television and a B.A. from Stanford University. She is currently the VP of Development at Medient Studios, and is a partner at Reelbooks Inc.
Wyatt Troll
For Aleim Magazine Wyatt photographed Darren Aronofsky
Wyatt Troll is addicted to creating images. As a photographer, cinematographer, and director, he is driven by honest story-telling though a visual language all his own. Bred in New York City, he attended LaGuardia School of Art, Music, and Performing Arts before moving to California to studying photography at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Never without his camera, Troll has taken countless photographs throughout his life and career, honing a multifaceted understanding of spaces and human dynamics, both natural and staged. Drawing from art history, he is always looking for a new way of seeing. As a photographer, he has documented incredible human portraits and intimate circumstances of intrigue. In 2001, he released “We’re #1,” a collection of photographs. Throughout his career as a cinematographer he has traveled the world working with directors including : Lisa Eisner, and Spike Jones telling brand stories for companies including Google, Levi’s, and Nike. Most recently, his heavy desire to share his experiences and perspective has lead him to directing a new short film entitled, Z-Bird, which will be released in 2014. He believes in letting the simple be enough.
Christian Ryder Witkin
For Aleim Magazine Christian photographed Mickalene Thomas
Christian Ryder Witkin was born in Manchester, England in 1966 to a Dutch mother and an American father, painter Jerome Witkin. He studied photography at Syracuse University and moved to New York City in 1987 where he assisted noted photographers Peter Lindbergh, Bruce Weber and Annie Leibovitz. With a noted artistic father and uncle (Joel-Peter Witkin) Christian grew up exposed to the cutting edge of visual expression, allowing for his visual development as an artist to begin at an early age. Christian’s continuing desire to deconstruct his world to its most basic parts has much to do with his research for the truth. He strips things down of all artifice until what is before you is the pure essence of the subject. It is not always pretty, but in the end it is honest. He aims to explore the light and dark places of the human psyche. His subject choices are atypical; his aesthetic harkens more to the streetwise Diane Arbus and anthropological August Sander. His current projects include the massive 20-year study of the people of India; his body of work in Ethiopia spanning 10 years; his work on the Thai Ladyboy; and the newly completed prototype for his first book titled Ordinary Beauty, the culmination of 25 years of portraiture of the subject of women. He has a ceaseless and constant desire to explore the unknown and eliminate boundaries. Christian’s work remains an iconic contemporary exploration of the human condition.Christian’s work appears in major magazines such as the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Travel + Leisure. His work has been used to create landmark campaigns for IBM, Nike, GAP, AMEX, RED, Kodak and Levi’s.
Cara Trump
For Aleim Magazine Cara interviewed Theron Nelson
Cara Trump is a writer/editor living in Los Angeles, CA, with a B.A. in Mass Communications, Magazine Journalism from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She is currently an associate editor for TruStory Media and has contributed to online and print publications such as IGN.com, Gayot.com, Tampa Bay Metro magazine, Tampa Bay Weddings magazine, Creative Loafing (Tampa) and USF’s AlumniVoice magazine.
Kely Nascimento-DeLuca
For Aleim Magazine Kely photographed Tracy K. Smith
Kely was born in Santos, Brazil and moved to NY a few months shy of her ninth birthday. Kely’s photography concentrates on social and personal commentary. Whenever possible, she prefers to shoot using natural light, this style is evident throughout her body of work. “I feel like a New Yorker when I am in Brazil, and I feel so very Brazilian when I am in New York, and I love that. I think it gives me such a singular perspective. What never ceases to fascinate me is how we as people negotiate our way through all the daily obstacles and struggles in our lives, however small or great. Survival, whatever that means to you and in whatever stage of your life or corner of the world you inhabit, is really the thread that connects us all.” Although she travels extensively for work her home base is in NY with her husband and four amazing children.
Therese + Joel
For Aleim Magazine Kely photographed Three Asfour
Therese Öhrvall and Joel Jägerroos are a Swedish-Finnish photography team. They live and work in New York City. Their clients include TIME Magazine, Wired, REVS, The Wall Street Journal, The Times, S Magazine, Out Magazine, FLATT Magazine, Grazia Italia, Milk Made, Galore Mag, IVANAHelsinki, Bullett Magazine and New York Post, amongst others. Therese + Joel were selected as one of the 30 emerging photographers to watch in 2011 by Photo District News. Their photo of Greta Gerwig was named as one of TIME’s Best Portraits of 2013.
Rena Effendi
For Aleim Magazine Rena photographed Khalid Abdalla
Rena Effendi is an Azerbaijani photographer. Her work is focused on themes of environment, post-conflict society, the effects of oil industry on people, and social disparity. Effendi has published two books, “Pipe Dreams A Chronicle of Lives Along The Pipeline” and “Liquid Land”. Her work has been exhibited at The Saatchi Gallery in London, Istanbul Modern and the 52nd Venice Biennial. She is based in Cairo, Egypt.
Lizzie Friedman
For Aleim Magazine Lizzie interviewed Amber Heard
Lizzie Friedman was raised in New York City and graduated from Duke University with a degree in Literature and Film Studies. She started her career at Jersey Films as an assistant to producer Stacey Sher and later moved into the development department. In 2003 the first film she developed independently was acquired and financed by Miramax Films. In 2005, she founded Sandbar Pictures with partner Greg Little. Together they have produced and financed numerous films, documentaries and television series for many of the major studios and networks in Hollywood including Studio Canal, TNT, OWN and Sony. Lizzie has produced projects throughout South America, Europe and Canada. Lizzie is currently in Post Production on Helen Hunt’s film RIDE starring Helen Hunt, Luke Wilson and Brenton Thwaites and in pre-production on THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT. Lizzie currently splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles.
Oliver Molesworth
For Aleim Magazine Oliver shot and edited Kenny Scharf video
Oliver Molesworth is an Australian filmmaker living in Soho, NYC. He moved to America after graduating with a Post-Graduate Certificate in Directing from Australia’s leading film institute, Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS). He spent most of his childhood living a dual life between his metropolitan upbringing in Melbourne and as a farmhand on the family ranch in central outback Australia. It was in this sunburnt landscape that he found his passion for filmmaking. Now, with a slew of short films, music videos and commercial work under his belt, Oliver is making a name for himself as a director who is able to translate his client’s needs into fresh, bold, exciting, videos.
Shirine Saad
For Aleim Magazine Shirine interviewed Yvonne & Julieta Venegas
For Aleim Magazine Shirine interviewed Khalid Abdalla
Born in Beirut, Saad grew up in France, Canada and New York, where she attended Columbia University’s Journalism School for Arts Journalism. She has written about lifestyle and culture for publications such as Nowness, MTV, Four Seasons Magazine, Ralph Lauren Magazine, T and WWD. Last year she published her first book, Boho Beirut: a Guide to the Middle East’s Most Sophisticated City, and she is working on her next book: Boho Brooklyn.
Melodie McDaniel
For Aleim Magazine Melodie photographed Theron Nelson
Melodie McDaniel is a still photographer and director who works with equal fluency between the worlds of fashion, music, fine art and commercials. To date, Melodie has helmed over 200 spots for a diverse clientele including Nike, Target, Miller Genuine Draft, Wrangler, Yahoo, Zune and Sony, for whom she created the pioneering digital short, Joy. Most recently, Melodie teamed up with Weiden+Kennedy for Levi’s “Go Forth” campaign, for which she produced not only a spot, but also a series of photographs shot with local talent on location in Braddock, Pennsylvania. Melodie continues her work as a fashion photographer, and her ground-breaking images can be found in magazines such as Dazed and Confused, Interview, Vogue Homme International, GQ, Spin, Arena, L’Uomo Vogue and Another Magazine, for whom she recently completed an experimental film portrait of musician/actress/style icon, Charlotte Gainsbourg. She is currently editing a retrospective book of her photographs, as well as exploring opportunities to develop her first feature film project. Her photographs can be found at: www.melodiemcdaniel.com.
Andi Magenheimer
For Aleim Magazine Andi interviewed Jay Bulger
Andi Magenheimer is a visual artist and writer living in Los Angeles. She earned her Master’s degree in fine art from the Royal College of Art in London, and BFA at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her paintings have been exhibited in New York, Berlin, London and Los Angeles, and, in addition to Aleim, she is contributing writer to Flash Art Magazine and Arte al Dìa. You can check out a mural she painted on Mohawk Street and Sunset Boulevard, which has been shown on the NBC’s Parenthood, and the IFC’s Birthday Boys, and visit her website at www.andimagenheimer.com.
Dyan Nispel
For Aleim Magazine Dyan interviewed A Race of Angels
Dyan Humes Nispel is a muse, salonnière, wife, mom and sometime singer/songwriter. She is a lover of music. Finding new music and musicians is a beautiful treasure hunt for her. Yoefi was a brilliant discovery – “A breath of fresh air”. She will soon be opening a “micro-hotel” in The Bahamas on Little Exuma, and has a song featured on her husband’s upcoming film, Exeter. She lives “deep” in Malibu with her husband, director Marcus Nispel their two sons, two dogs, a guinea pig and friends who happen by. (Photo by Bruno Nispel)
Tierney Gearon
For Aleim Magazine Tierney Photographed Amber Heard
Born in Atlanta, GA, Tierney Gearon is an acclaimed Los Angeles based contemporary photographer, who has gained both critical and commercial recognition for her powerful and intense colorful photographs. praise for her powerful and haunting images did not come to art through traditional means. Her life goal was always to be a mother. After being a model and commercial photographer for years, her marriage dissolved. She then turned her camera on her family. Through those images she acquired on different family trips around the world she was discovered by Charles Saatchi. She was thrust into the spot light in 2001 when her work was featured as one of the main photographers in the famed “I Am A Camera” exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Her work became an overnight sensation when images of he children came under public scrutiny. Since her controversial debut, Gearon has been pushing the envelope of contemporary photography. “The Mother Project” and “Daddy, Where are you” both give the viewer an intimate look into Tierney’s relationship with her mentally ill mother, not only capturing the raw intensity but also celebrates her free spirit. In 2009, Gearon pushed her photography to a new zenith, double exposing film inside of the camera to produce groundbreaking chance narratives in her work titled “EXPLOSURE”. Tierney has been exhibited at many prominent galleries and museums including, Gagosian Gallery, Yossi Milo, Ace Gallery, The Parrish Art Museum, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and Phillips de Pury & company in London. Her most recent project, a 24 page feature of 13 Oscar Award winning woman titled “Hollywood Heroines”, was featured in the New York Times magazine. She will be previewing a new collection of works titled “Shape Color” at Paris Photo Los Angeles Photography Art fair at the end of April 2013. Damiani have published a book of Tierney Gearon’s children’s photography titled ” the alphabet book ” which launched Spring 2014.
Carla Williams
For Aleim Magazine Carla interviewed Mickalene Thomas
Carla Williams is a writer, editor, and photographer born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She received her MFA from the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque and her BA from Princeton University and is the author of numerous essays and articles about photography and co-author of two histories of photography, including The Black Female Body: A Photographic History with Deborah Willis. Her photographic work has been widely published and exhibited. Williams is editor of exposure, the journal of the Society for Photographic Education. She currently resides in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dana Lixenberg
For Aleim Magazine Dana photographed Yvonne & Julieta Venegas
Dana Lixenberg (born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands,1964) lives and works in New York and Amsterdam. She studied Photography at the London College of Printing in London and at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam.In 1993 she was awarded a project grant by the Fonds BKVB (The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture) for a series of portraits at the Imperial Courts Housing Project in Los Angeles, California. She was soon getting commissions from a wide variety of magazines such as the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Vrij Nederland and Vibe, amongst many others. Many of these collaborations continue to this date. All the while Lixenberg continued working on long-term personal projects, mostly focused on individuals and communities on the margins of society. Several of these projects have been published in book form and have been exhibited at museums and galleries in Europe and the United States.She was the subject of a documentary titled: Dana Lixenberg, thru dutch eyes in 1999 and in 2005 she was featured in an episode of the documentary series Hollands Zicht (Dutch Vision) both for Dutch television.
Sam Witt
For Aleim Magazine Sam interviewed Tracy K. Smith
Sam Witt is the author of two poetry collections, Everlasting Quail (UPNE, 2001), winner of the Katherine Nason Bakeless Prize, and Sunflower Brother (Cleveland State University Press, 2006). Witt has won numerous awards for his poems, including the 2014 Red Hen Press Poetry Award, the Pitch Poetry Award for 2012 and the Meridian Editors’ Prize, 2008. Individual poems and articles have appeared in the following places: Virginia Quarterly Review, Los Angeles Review, Boston Review, Georgia Review, Wired, Computerworld, San Francisco Chronicle, Black Warrior Review and New England Review. He has taught at Harvard University and at Whitman College, and he is now Assistant Professor of English, Creative Writing, at Framingham State University. He is the Poetry Editor for Jaded Ibis Press (jadedibisproductions.com.) His website address is www.samwittpoetry.com and you can follow him on twitter here: @sambrownwitt.
Amy Routman
For Aleim Magazine Sam interviewed Three Asfour
Amy holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a BA from Barnard College where she majored in Architecture and minored in Art History. She studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art in OH and at the National Academy School of Fine Arts in NYC. She has trained in plein air painting in Buonconvento and Montalcino, Italy. Drawing as a method of communication drew Amy into architecture. She has worked in film set design, exhibition and gallery design. For many years, she has worked closely with the artist Denise Green developing installations for her work in the US, Europe, and Australia. A licensed architect, Amy is currently working on residential projects for an architectural firm in Soho, New York.
Monica Nouwens
For Aleim Magazine Monica Photographed A Race of Angels
After completing my fellowship in Art Media Studies at Rijksakademie in Amsterdam I ultimately attended California Institute of the Arts exchange program for film and photography. As a photographer, videographer, installation artist and contributor to publications worldwide, I have captured Los Angeles and Angelinos for over two decades. Portraying intimate portraits of individuals in a continual synthetic landscape of opulence and rejuvenation. In my latest work Look At Me And Tell Me If You Have Known Me Before, exhibited in Photography Museum Amsterdam 2013 (foam.org) is composed of video, audiovisual three-screen installation and prints. The work provides an associative narrative of the ambivalent appeal of one of the world’s greatest cities: Los Angeles. In images and spoken word it brings the atmospheres of an alternative parallel world to life, the do-it‐yourself underground movement of LA bohemia. Many of the protagonists have never taken part in normal economic society; they grew up with little to no money or formal education and have never had a regular job. The group sustains itself with the leftovers from ‘the other world’. This disconnected individualism – in parallel with, but detached from middle class society – comes together in chance groupings and gatherings. I have always been interested in the ‘free’ or countercultural movements of the Western world and their juxtaposition with degrading capitalist societal systems. In all my works I contemplates America’s social fabric and its mistaken promise of liberation that has long turned into a nightmare. Here I am not the distanced observing artist but the involved participant of another way of life that I see as attractive, experimental and alternative.