An interview with Tika Prospere:

KP: What artists inspired you?

TP: I would say i am definitely inspired by John Waters, he is a really awesome director that specializes in ‘trash art.’ I have a few of his movies, Pink Flamingo is my favorite, there’s a scene of Devine who happens to be a drag queen eating a dog turd. And for some reason that was just a really big inspiration for me.

I like the idea of taking something that’s trashy and ugly, and then making it beautiful. Because, i feel like too many people are just obsessed with looks and being perfect. And I’m doing the other side and exposing the negative, the gritty and the discussing. So, I’m definitely influenced by a lot of his work.

KP: So why did you decide on video?

TP: I just like the idea that you can tell a story, and you don’t have to write it down. You can use pictures.

KP: Then why not photography?

TP: I like the moving aspect of going from point A to point B. Photography is very still to me. And you can tell a story with one photo but, I just like video because, you can do lots of stories and plots, I like being able to control the story.

KP: Are there any specific topics or themes you like to focus on or incorporate into your films?

TP: I like to work with things that deal with: suicide, prostitution, general dirtiness. I also like to do work with, not necessarily feminist issues but, more social issues.

KP: Do you thing your work has matured over these past few years?

TP: I have definitely started doing a lot more serious work. I did a piece on my brother, and one with my grandma, it has definitely become more serious then before.

KP: Why did you decide to become an artist?

TP: Well, in high school they alway encourage you to go to college. They would say if you don’t go to college your a failure, I definitely felt a lot of pressure in school but i wasn’t sure what i wanted to do. And art seamed to be the only thing i was good at honestly. So I kinda just naturally just followed art. Because, I see myself as more of a ‘creative individual,’ and I just kind of fell into video.

I did this project in 12th grade for english class and it was a mocumentary of Jonathan Swift eating Irish babies, it was supposed to be really ironic and have a lot of sarcasm. So i took everyday things that were happening for kids our age and i made a mocumentary out of it. And when i did that I was like, wow video is really cool you can edit things together. Because the thing about editing is no matter what footage you have, you can always use it and tell whatever you wanna tell, you can manipulate it very easily. And I like that, being able to manipulate people.

KP: Did you try other mediums such as drawing or photography before video?

TP: I was into photography but, it was more like digital camera and taking profile pictures, and I’ve never been a good drawer actually. I’m not really good at it, I don’t pretend to be good at it, cuz I’m pretty lame.

KP: So what influenced you to go from working with themes of feminism, abortion, suicide, and such, into a more subtle documentation based work?

TP: Well, I guess I’m getting older and I’m graduating soon. I don’t wanna change my work for people but, I feel like you kind of do. I feel like you kind of have to be a little bit mainstream just to be accepted by the majority.

I’m into horror movies but, there aren’t that many independently owned horror companies out there. Unfortunately, you have to change your work so that its more accessible to people, so they can understand it better. And I have also gotten older as well and more mature, so i deal deal with more mature subjects as well.

KP: Has this mature work been easier or harder to create then your previous work?

TP: I would say its a lot easier definitely, because the characters are there, you can film them and nothing too ‘crazy’ happens.

KP: By trying to tailer to your audience rather then going on with your more controversial work and worrying about the audience second do you think your giving away too much of your own self away, as in selling out your work or would you consider it more of a compromise?

TP: I would say its a compromise and not really selling out but, this is my work and I’m pretty proud of it. I don’t really care if people consider it selling out, I don’t consider it selling out. Its more of a change as I’m getting older.

KP: Why don’t you use a tripod in your films?

TP: There are two reasons I’m gonna say. Because, I’m artistic and i don’t need a tripod and i like hand held gorilla style, thats one reason. The second reason is, that I’m also really cheap and i can’t afford one. But, I’m gonna say gorilla style.

KP: As far as your subjects are you planing to still depict yourself and your family, is that the direction in which you wanna keep going?

TP: Ye, now I’ve done a couple of videos now that have my family in them and a couple that I’m in them. I think I’m gonna keep putting myself into my work. Because, its a lot easier you don’t have to find actors as much and I actually like being in front of the camera, so it works out that way. And I’m definitely going to do things of my family because, I find my family to be very interesting, the things that go on I’m like wow thats crazy.

KP: Is your family ok with you filming them or are they like no don’t film me now I don’t look good right now, and not let you film them?

TP: They say that but, I say this is for school this is a project, so they are way more accepting.

KP: So what are you gonna say when you get out of school?

TP: This is for my big break, when I become famous.

KP: Are there any artists that inspired you when you were getting started in art and are there any you keep coming back to?

TP: Well I pretty much watch movies every day and I’m like wow that’s a really great, but like I said earlier I still like John Waters, thats a big inspiration.

KP: What are your future plans?

TP: I would ultimately like to become a video director but, I think I’m gonna start editing. Do you know Troma? I actually did an internship with them, they do horror films and stuff like that, D rated. And their like one of the last, very few independent companies out there, they did the Toxic Avenger. So i did an internship there and I did a lot of editing, so i see myself doing things like that once I graduate. Just doing editing and slowly working my way up the latter.

KP: And what are your plans for thesis

TP: I don’t really know but, I think I’m definitely going to do something with sexualized children. In the media sense, I also like to think about the media and how evil they are. More like, how corporations are marketing to children.