Also known as Ice Ice Spice Baby, Agusta Yr is a filmmaker who grew up between Miami and Reykjavik. Currently based in London, she’s known for her mesmeric, uncanny 3D videos; her obsession with pop culture; her visual collaborations with Gucci, Moschino, Yang Li and Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, and her equally eye-catching music videos for The 1975, Remi Wolf and Leyla Blue. Speaking from her studio in Seven Sisters, we caught up with the artist and model to find out how she’s adapted her practice and principles to the pandemic.
SLEEK: Before we start speaking about your work…we live in crazy times, and I was just thinking how much I miss conversations such as the one we’re about to have. With all that’s going on, is talking about art a luxury or a necessity?
Agusta Yr: I think it depends on what kind of art. Recently, I’ve been doing mainly commercial stuff and that’s a luxury. It’s not a necessity other than for me to live but if you’re doing something really creative, that’s a necessity. We all need a creative outlet to release whatever we have inside.
S: During lockdown, certain places were considered more ‘relevant’ than others. Supermarkets stayed open, but cinemas shut because they weren’t deemed essential services. Of course, there are more urgent needs than watching a film, yet I believe it’s something existential.
AY: I definitely did miss going to a museum or a gallery and being able to just freely walk outside without being scared that the police are going to send you home. I love to go outside and clear my head whenever I work on something. But during lockdown, I was just like‚ “Maybe I should not go.”
S: I believe most people can choose, at this point, if they prefer home office. But it became difficult for us in the arts to keep working. I realised how much I rely on meeting people. And travelling – because it inspires me. London especially. You’re there now, dealing with similar limitations. Has it affected your work?
AY: I’ve worked through all sorts of emotions with it. Last year, the height of the pandemic, was basically my busiest year ever. There were seven months where I was doing 12 to 14 hours a day. I was focussed on working which was great because I wasn’t having any social distraction. At the same time, I realised how draining it was on my mental health. I really did miss interacting with people. And being on set as well. Last year I directed remotely four to five times.
S: When I discovered your videos – my favorite is Kindness (2021) – my first thought was how surreal it was. My second was that it’s not in fact any more or less surreal than my own reality at the moment. Are you getting this type of feedback a lot?
AY: No. There’s a lot of 3D work nowadays and by creating worlds, people are creating something that’s hyperreal. When people see something which is hyperreal, they’re like, “This is something I saw as a kid.” For me it doesn’t make a difference if someone creates a hyperreal world like you do or an Insta profile with ‘that’s my luxury bag, that’s my beauty makeup’ content. All of Instagram is an idealisation of our lives. It’s whatever reality we want to put out there, but it’s no one’s actual reality.
S: What is ‘reality’?
A: We live in multiple realities every day. For me, whichever friend I’m interacting with, it’s a different reality. Not that I change the way that I am but you cater towards everyone in your life in a different way and that’s a different reality in a sense.
S: Why do you think it is that people are so obsessed with how bodies look, especially when it comes to women? Today, society is supposedly more open to different body types, yet it often feels as if everyone wants to look the same.
AY: I think we’ve sort of been brainwashed into thinking certain body types are the ideal – it’s been happening throughout every generation in history. If you go back to sculptures and Greek goddesses and gods, they were the ideal [body types] of their [era], and we keep on evolving and now it’s [Kim Kardashian] and Kylie Jenner – the most unattainable body. There are obviously many women who have that body naturally, but it’s been perpetuated and now everyone is getting a BBL [‘Brazilian butt lift’]. I was reading about a flight coming into Atlanta from the Dominican Republic and the airport didn’t have enough wheelchairs because 38 or 40 women on the flight were coming back after having a BBL and couldn’t walk.
S: Are you kidding me?
AY: Yes! They couldn’t walk. They had to gather all the wheelchairs in the airport! I saw this one photo on Twitter, a line of wheelchairs. It’s such a weird thing because getting a BBL is one of the most dangerous types of plastic surgery you can have.
S: Why would you do this at all? It doesn’t even matter what body type you are. Someone will always tell you there’s something not right with you. What’s the exit strategy?
AY: I would say it’s up to ourselves. Realising before we start saying anything to anyone else or when you’re negatively thinking about someone – it’s most likely coming from an insecurity that you already have. I’m on TikTok, I see comments by 15 and 14 year-olds. It’s really crazy to me how ruthless the younger generation is. I think we need to teach kids that words hurt.
S: Could you imagine working in a very different field? Like architecture?
AY:I think this would be really fun! One of the main elements of 3D is building worlds. I usually build architectural buildings and worlds anyway. So I think I could do that.
S: It would look great! For sure, you know Pipilotti Rist? She’s designed interiors for hotels. It’s beautiful because you can actually walk into this world! Next question: If there was a film about you, which essential characteristic of yours would you want your actor to nail?
AY: Probably just to experiment and have fun. I think that’s one of the main things I try to do all the time. I just try new techniques, new ideas, play around with things that I’ve never used before – and that’s how I got into 3D. I studied photography and video and got bored. I never want to be bored with what I am making. I try to live by the motto: Don’t be complacent, try new things all the time.
S: Would your best friend agree?
AY: [Laughs] I don’t know! Maybe not in day-to-day life, but in work – yes!
Read the full interview with Agusta Yr in SLEEK 71 – available in print or digital.
CREDITS:
Photography: Riya Hollings
Styling: Ichi Katsumi
Makeup: Martina Derosa
Lighting Technician: Sebastian Hinds
Production Assistant: Nina Schaarschmidt
Location: Sibling Studios London