We had the good fortune of connecting with Rania Anjum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rania, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Growing up, I rarely ever saw anyone who really looked liked me on magazine covers, billboards or cast in leading roles in film and tv. It always left me feeling like I didn’t fit into any of the beauty standards that were highlighted at the time. To not feel represented is a very isolating feeling. I wanted to use photography to highlight and work with different identities around me. Being able to pursue an artistic career has been one of the most challenging yet liberating experiences.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The themes of my work revolve around storytelling, diversity and repurposing iconic visual tropes in fashion by putting my own little twist on them. I enjoy making collages, animations and using alternative photo practices like making cyanotypes, film manipulation etc in my projects.
As a woman of color, representation of different sizes, ethnicities and identities holds a lot of importance to me. Building a connection with whoever I’m working with is a huge part of my process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If not in the studio, I’m definitely at a flea market on Melrose. You never know what you’ll find and every time you go, you see something completely new. The rooftop cinema in Downtown is one of my favorite spots as well. It always leaves me inspired by film and the city itself. For cafes, I would recommend Cafe Mak in Koreatown, Aroma in Studio City and the Beachwood Cafe. Vrooman’s bookstore in Pasadena is a must go!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shout-out to the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron! It completely changed my perspective on how one can learn to channel their creativity and honor it. My biggest takeaways from the book that I live by, are the morning pages and weekly solo artist dates. It made me rediscover and respect my identity as an artist.

Website: https://www.raniaanjum.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranias_archive/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rania-anjum-8456b132a/

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