Kaci Peterson: Finding fairy tales

Q&A W/ VISUAL ARTIST KACI PETERSON ON FAIRY TALES, RESTLESSNESS, & THE IMPORTANCE OF TELLING OUR STORIES

Narrative gives us the ability to escape. Since the beginning of time, we have found solace in storytelling. When reality becomes heavy, we turn to our imaginations. Outlets such as writing and visual artwork become a place to communicate our emotions and ideas during eras of persecution or heartbreak. Perhaps the most iconic manifestation of this practice is the fairy tale. Around the world, we can find folklore and fairy tales of heroes and heroines facing villainous forces or individuals, learning lessons, and discovering how to overcome.

As film developed into a new mass outlet for storytelling, we saw many of these iconic tales retold through the magic of the motion picture. Famously Disney animated and commercialized the retelling of these stories. Eventually, these animated retellings became branded as the “Disney Princesses” hallmarks of the corporation's image. Today, we have seen the rise of ignorance in conversations surrounding the casting of live-action versions of these classic films. The inability of an audience to accept the casting of non-white leads in stories of fantasy and folklore have become revealing and disturbing reflections of white fragility and racism. These arguments completely lack the understanding of the purpose of the fairy tale and folklore itself.

Living in a country where our identities face invalidating and harmful legislation, true freedom of speech and expression is needed today more than ever. How can we reclaim the practice of folklore for ourselves? The answer: It can never be taken away if we continue to share and create.

Kaci Peterson is doing just that. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Peterson is a visual artist who is using photography as a tool for storytelling and a platform for radical fantasy. When we initially connected over Instagram, I was immediately drawn in by Kaci’s aesthetic and clear visual language on her page (@kacioncamera). Her imagery was full of dynamic compositions and an overall sense of strength and energy. I simply had to know more about the process and inspiration behind her lens. After remaining in touch via dm, we scheduled a phone call.

It was an honor to speak with Kaci and learn more about her process, and passion for creating visual narratives. Below you will find our conversation recounted in which discussed her stunning editorial series, The Princes and the Pea, restlessness, femme power, and reclaiming the fairy tale for oneself.

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How did your journey begin with photography? What drew you to this medium?

"I've always been into telling stories, ever since I was a kid. I thought I was going to be an author. I would make books and staple copy paper together and pass them out to my class. 

When I was 12, I watched Kill Bill for the first time, which I should have never been watching.

I think film is the best way to tell your stories. So, I've been in the film industry and into film since then. But like, the industry is just so - unless you're a director, I was a DP, so like, unless you're a director, it's not really your vision. So, I started pivoting from cinematography to photography."

Do you see yourself as a storyteller? What is the main message you want your viewers to take away from your work?

"Firstly, a lot of my work features Black women as models. So it's really important for me to highlight Black women specifically as a subject. Especially when it comes to reimagining these fairy tales, you know, because, historically, a princess is always white. So that's an aspect that's really important to me, is reimagining this story, but with someone who looks like me."

"WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT MY WORK IS THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT JUST GOES INTO A SINGLE IMAGE."

"Showing like we are princesses, we're cute, we're beautiful, you know. And then the other aspect is kind of like, I want to show how much effort goes into each photo, yeah. So it's really important for me to be like, yeah, this is my image. But also, notice how much goes into it, like the staging, the hair, the makeup, there's a whole team behind it. 

It's a collaboration. So, I want people to be inspired to be open to collaborating with me, to be open to collaborating with each other. Because, like, the art world is so competitive and individualistic. It's important to recognize that, you know, everyone has something that they can bring, that they can add to your work."

In terms of styling, who are you working with? How do you make those final decisions?

"So usually, I'm working with people that I've never met before, which is always kind of - nervous, but also kind of exciting?

I kind of just, let everyone have free reign of their department. In the end, I just say whether I like it or I don't, or like fix this or fix that. 

"So, I said, I want, long pigtails. And she did that, and it was great. And then she added some ribbon. And I was like, Oh, I love that. Can you add more?

I want all the people who worked on it to also be happy with their work, and I want them to have something that they're proud of and that they can show off. I think that's why I was so frustrated in film, because it was like, you know,- I can suggest something as a cinematographer, but then the director is like, no, no, no. We're not doing that. So, it's important. I think for me, I really try to be open-minded, because I want people to be like- this is their work too."

Living in present-day America, a lot of people are hurt by hateful and ignorant voices in the public sphere. It's a restless time. In the Princess and the Pea story we watch a woman tortured by a lack of rest a comfort.

However, I also feel this sense of power from your visual retelling of the story, the idea of finding peace even in restless moments.

What drew you to this specific story? Do you find that these themes resonate with this series?

"Absolutely. In some photos, she is restless, like the one where she's kind of upside down, maybe like contorting her body in a weird way, hugging her pillow, not sleeping at all - not in a comfortable position. But then in some photos, she's playing with her cat, she's reading a book, she's smiling. So for me, it was kind of about,-  this is uncomfortable, but I can still enjoy this moment. 

We live in such a restless time. And so - I think that you can kind of tie it back to, yeah, there's so much horrible shit happening, but, still, we have to, live our lives. We have to appreciate the good that we do have. So it's really a balance of both."

How you would say your work interacts with the representation of femme subjects and power?

"That's definitely a big theme in my work. Femininity and power and how those go hand in hand. I mean, I think women are inherently, like, insanely powerful. We can literally, like, grow life inside of ourselves, and then like, give birth, and then, nurture and feed that.

I think about that all the time, this is actually insane, yeah? We're amazing."

"SO, I THINK THAT FEMININITY AND BEING POWERFUL GO HAND IN HAND. I FEEL LIKE I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO SHOWCASE THAT."

What are your thoughts on the backlash and conversations around the casting of Disney's live-action princess adaptations?

"It pisses me off. To put it bluntly. It makes me angry. Yeah, I don't get all worked up over it, because I'm like, racist people are gonna exist.

But it makes me upset because- this is a fairy tale. There's talking crabs. Who cares? I mean that just is, even more reason to, do what I do, and keep highlighting women of color, because people like this, like still exist, and they think it's so deep, and they're just really just, bigoted at the end of the day. So, you know, it encourages me more and more."

How do you see photography as a tool for creating your own story? How do you see your identity reflected in your work?

"I'm a very feminine person. I love doing my makeup. I love keeping my hair long, like, I love wearing skirts. I've never wear pants. I only wear skirts. 

I'm also very blunt, direct, whatever the opposite of a people pleaser is. But I'm also incredibly feminine, and I can be incredibly soft in moments. And like, sometimes I can be a bitch. Sometimes, you know, I say what I want and I'm gonna get what I want."

"So, I think that in itself is, reflected in my work a lot, because I usually like to have like these, kind of, softer lights, dresses, flowers, you know, pretty and bright colors. But also, my subjects are these, like fierce women and maybe even sometimes they're kind of scary, like the ghost bride shoot that I did. 

It's really about meshing, putting those together, because they really do go hand in hand, but not everyone sees it that way, and so it's important for me to be like, ‘yeah, I wear skirts, but I'm also gonna, cuss you out if you fuck with me.’ That’s kind of the vibe and that- and that's me in a nutshell. 

And yeah, I think my work definitely reflects that."

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BY REBECCA DOYLE

Photography by Kaci Peterson

Collage by Rebecca Doyle