Digital Cowgirl Jenny Farhat Scales Cosmic Dimensions and Explores the Common Humanity in Her Photography and Art
"Smiling is universally contagious. More people of Belize.” www.jennyfarhat.com
“Some of my greater passions are exploring the outdoors, learning about other cultures, social responsibility, and playing with my cameras. When traveling I enjoy staying in small towns, interacting with the locals, and sleeping under the stars. Most importantly - I like to doodle.”
All the great commercial space opera’s- Star Wars, Star Trek - use the backdrop of space to explore our universal humanity and our cosmic being in order to say something profound about it. Think about it: in the Star Wars saga, the Skywalker family serve as a meditation of family saga against the backdrop of the galaxy. In Star Trek, the friendship between Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk is a popular meditation on how friendship defines the fortunes of an intergalactic federation. Jenny Farhat’s work is a meditation on the cosmos, our humanity against the backdrop of earth. Earth and everyday lives are the setting and exploration for a cosmic humanity.
Jenny’s work is prominently displayed Ironsmith Cafe in Encinitas, a natural selection as a healthy sampling of San Diego’s professional, entrepreneurial and creative class file in and out of the coffee roaster’s shop. Jenny and I were able to connect to discuss her groundbreaking work.
How do you approach your work?
My approach is really organic and is constantly evolving. What you see at Ironsmith Coffee is what I'm currently inspired by, which is mixed media. It starts behind the lens. Maybe the light bouncing off of a specific desert plateau captures my attention, or how someone is standing near the edge of a cliff. I love photography. When I go to edit, I reflect on the moment the shutter closed and what was going on in my mind.
How did you come to add the metaphysical dimension to your work? What practices outside of art inform your aesthetic?
Well, I'm sure its obvious I love being outdoors. I rock climb, surf and horse back ride. All of which shape my environment; influencing my world and how my eyes see it. Also, for the past three years I’ve been sitting with plant medicines which has influenced the concepts I create. I’m huge on aesthetics. My mind is always creating. It’s how I make sense of the world.
Do you every try to say something - about the times, about the world we live in, life in general - with your work?
I'm not always sending a direct and literal message. Sometimes it's just what is currently inspiring me. I'm a visual person, it's how I express myself. Some people play music, others like to write, I like photography and drawing over what I see. I am a passionate person and have other projects that focus on human equality to fight injustice, those are usually more direct messages while this is more of my play. Life is amazing. Our world is beautiful, although there's much to work on. I hope my work at the very least communicates this, indirectly or directly.
Jenny Farhat is a videographer, photographer, painter and digital cowgirl. The force is strong with this Jedi.
Jenny Farhat ( @jennyfarhat )
