Post 3: Interview: Le’Andra LeSeur by Ksenia M. Soboleva/Under the Influences series of Art Forum

 

Mathew Zurita

ART-352-1084

Professor. Cacoilo

February 12, 2025

New Jersey City University

Interview: Le’Andra LeSeur by Ksenia M. Soboleva / BOMB Magazine

1. What inspired LeSeur was that her work has taken on a form of truly moving through and from the body, and language for her is embedded in the body. She likes to consider language as something we ingest and regurgitate as we become. How we listen and how we speak is how we navigate life and how we understand our body in process. What motivates me to become as a photographer is having purpose and a plan is what motivates us photographers. For professional photographers the purpose is clear. Paying the bills is a driving motivation until they become stars, then they can photograph what and how they like. 
2. The camera, which is the material I use, is that a camera creates a message by capturing a visual representation of a moment in time, using its lens to focus light onto a light-sensitive sensor, which then translates that light into data, allowing the image to be interpreted and understood by the viewer based on composition, lighting, perspective, and other visual cues, effectively conveying a story or idea without words. 

Under the Influences series of Art Forum 

1. William Kentridge - What are the new areas you want to explore? 

New areas I want to explore is the new age art from this current generation. I've been working with modern art for the longest I can remember. I think it's time to take it up a notch. 

1. Firelei BÁez - Why are you speaking about these issues?

I speak on these problems because they think that they don't exist or are addressed differently. I exist as a bridge.

1. Glenn Ligon - Tell me about your work and what is the meaning behind them?

My work explores identity, race, sexuality, and language through a variety of mediums, including painting, neon, and sculpture. My work often references literature and speeches by cultural figures like James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Pryor. My own work is often critical of American society and its treatment of Black Americans. 

1. Charles Atlas - What inspired you to pioneer in film and video? 

What inspired me was the avant-garde communities of New York City in the 1970s, where I immersed myself in dance, performance, and media. My work is known for capturing the fleeting feeling of live performance and the immediacy of personal interactions.