DREAM GIRLS – NYC Interviews: Laura Weyl

What’s your name and where are you from?

Laura Weyl, from the Palo Alto in the Bay Area, California.

What do you do?

I am a multi-media artist, primarily focused on photography, filmmaking, acting, modeling, and projection art. I try to associate with and observe very diverse and divergent assortments of humans in my daily life.

Talk about style, who or what are some of your style influences?

Frida Kahlo is my style muse and role model. I tend to look toward powerful, iconic women of bygone eras as my style icons as opposed to modern style icons. Another big influence is Maya Deren, an experimental female filmmaker from the 1940s. These women represent archetypes of strength and sexual creativity.

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What role does music play in your life?

Music is associated with people in my life- I absorb it through osmosis. My music library has all come to me from various DJs and music enthusiasts I know. I always live with and hang around people who play music or make music, so I rarely have to seek it out or find it on my own. I love dancing, music is an event for me, I can’t read or sleep with it because it takes over my body. It also creates collaboration and opportunity for art in my life- whether dancing or making a music video.

Do you think style and music interplay with each other? If so, how?

Most definitely- they are both forms of immediate physical creative expressions and bleed into each other. Music is related to awareness of rhythm and ones body, moving in space. Movement and dancing are intrinsically tied to ones visual manifestation- how one looks, how one moves, and how one adorns themselves.

How would you define style as it relates to hip-hop culture?

I love hip-hop culture’s insatiable lust for color, inventive and flashy designs and boldness. I think hip-hop culture exhibits the most luscious and vibrant display of self expression in style since traditional African or Mexican.

Who are some of your favorite hip hop artists or groups?

I definitely love my underground Bay Area OGs like Kool Keith, even though he’s totally psychotic. I love Del the Funky Homosapien. Outkast is great, and I am a big fan of MF Doom. I also really dig Cibo Matto and M.I.A..

90’s hip hop – what are some thoughts that come to mind – artists, groups, style, aesthetic?

LOVE Salt N Peppa – my best friend in SF and I used to blast this old cassette tape of theirs in a ghetto box all over the city.

What are your feelings about jazz? Do you have any favorite artists or groups?

I love jazz a lot – love the improvisational self-expression, the free-association. I see it live from time to time, but don’t have any favorite artists yet. I’m bad with names.

What are your thoughts regarding the relationship(s) between jazz and hip-hop?

They are similar in their improvisational capacities and origins, thus both make me feel a sense of urgency and vitality, a need to dance.

What are your thoughts regarding style as it relates to jazz culture?

Spontaneity and boldness, bright unapologetic statements and also simplicity are manifestations of jazz in the realm of style.

What do you think about the SHAOLIN JAZZ project?

Groovy tunes and pertinent philosophy as it relates to the history of music.

Lastly, what are some of your upcoming projects and how can people find out more about you?

I am currently in production on a short film I conceived and am creating and acting in with the help of my comrades. Updates on my work can be found through my handle, @Metagasm on the web and social media, or my website metagasm.org.

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To see part 1 of the DREAM GIRLS – NYC Summer 2014 photo shoot click here.

To see Part 2 of the DREAM GIRLS – NYC Summer 2014 photo shoot click here.

To see the SHAOLIN JAZZ T-Shirt Melanie’s wearing and our full range of SHAOLIN JAZZ Apparel click here.