Meet Xhosa Fray-Chinn | Photographer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xhosa Fray-Chinn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xhosa, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
There are a few habits that I have picked up on when it comes to success. Rest, is one of the more important habits. When you are a creative, sometimes you need moments of nothingness. This doesn’t mean your mind isn’t always creating but it’s more about the act. Taking time to reset and recharge the battery in your back. Sometimes as artists we believe that we have to push ourselves to the limit to bring us the best results. I’m a firm believer in creating in spurts and making sure that your mental is right over forcing yourself to keep going.

My other habit that helps me is that I love to challenge myself. Not in a way of comparing myself to peers but in a way where I am always looking for something new to overcome. For example, as a photographer, I love shooting color so in an effort to not get overly comfortable, I’ll shoot only B&W for a period of time. Other ways I do this is that I’ll try my hand at a completely different art medium such as music or painting, writing, etc. Just continuously doing things that keep my mind going, learning and growing and living with the uncomfortableness of figuring out new things.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a photographer/filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Atlanta and grew up in Orlando. My focus revolves around the Black experience and what makes that unique and beautiful and creating spaces for us to exist in that we may not have always had before. I’m most excited about the future and I’m proud of the projects that I have put in motion in the past. Starting with my first published photo book and my exhibition show that I curated earlier this year. It’s of course not easy and it’s all things that I am still working through and figuring out but that’s the fun part of the story. I’m learning that being in the moment is the most important thing that you can do and we can only exist and change what it happening now in hopes that it will be in the benefit of you and others in the future. We are truly living in the best time of our lives at this very second.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’d start by hitting some thrift stores, specifically 10 ft single in Williamsburg and then we would head to Nolita Pizza in Little Italy on Kenmare Street because they have arguably the best pizza in the city. Since we are near SOHO we’d go do some shopping in the area of course and then head to Dashwood Books, which is a cool underground photo book shop where my book is currently being sold as well as many other amazing works from other artists and photographers. Probably go to Chelsea and check out some galleries and then take a long trip to Queens to see the Noguchi Museum, one of my favorite museums in the city, and then end the day at Blue Note Jazz Club on west 3rd street for some live music, food and drinks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Too many people to name. It’s really like a revolving door because I feel inspired by people in the spur of the moment and the people who keep me going is forever changing dependent on where I am and who I am around. I’d say the life experience itself deserves recognition and within that there are people such as my parents, friends, frequent collaborators, followers who support etc that deserve credit in my story.

Website: www.xhosafraychinn.com

Instagram: @lemonadeonsundays

Image Credits
Dominic Dimaria Xhosa Fray-Chinn