Stratton McCrady - Acting Out

What are you presently inspired by? My practice alternates between a fiercely passionate portrait project studying the motivations and feelings surrounding contemporary Burlesque performance, and some series of very personal still life work. I’m inspired by light and color, and how these can communicate emotion.

Do you have a background in something other than art? I grew up wanting to be a musician and music is never far from my musings. In college while majoring in music history, I began working in the Theatre and all the performing arts remain very central to all my work.

What led you to art? Everything led me to art. Church hymns were my earliest connection to music as a small child. In my family every child took music lessons, and some took dance. Magazines and television, movies, comic books, modern culture permeated life. I was raised on books, reading and literature. As I grew up art and music were still heavy in the schools. My grandfather and all his children were serious amateur artists. Unlike my grandfather or my dad or uncles, I was not a scientist or an engineer. The humanities called me and over many years art has risen to the top.

What do you think is the function of art in society? Do art or artists have a responsibility to do anything in particular? I think art reminds people, both intellectually, and viscerally, that there is more to being human than just work, money and procreation. The unusual truth of human beings is we crave creativity. That’s why it’s such a crime now that children are deprived arts in school. There’s something so elemental about making objects or images to better understand and express ourselves. It’s why our leisure culture is so saturated with images and stories (whether these are of value or not.) People crave art deeply. They need it.

As much as socially engaged or political art can be hugely important, I don’t think art has that inherent responsibility. The artist is responsible to his/herself, to take the risks and try and make something meaningful. Part two is putting it out there for scrutiny.

Featured Above:

Frank

"Every participant was asked : Given your performance style, what do you believe lies at the core? What drives you to want to act out in front of strangers, friends and family?

This portrait series of amateur performers called Acting Out explores a mysterious theatre of sexuality, using volunteer subjects who "act out" because they are, by nature, inclined to. They specialize in Burlesque.

Traditionally, teachers applied the term acting out to children who either would not or could not restrain themselves within the social structures of the classroom. Throughout queer communities”out” is a term used to mean publicly open about one's sexuality. In this project, the term “acting out” refers to urges the participants experience as irrepressible.

The subjects come to the camera ready and expecting to pose. Clearly the instant between poses often seem to give these portraits their most enduring faces."