Welcome to ‘Faces of FAT’, a captivating series that takes you behind the scenes of Fashion Art Toronto 2024. Dive into the compelling narratives and creative journeys of diverse designers, as we uncover the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs that shape their unique visions. From innovators to emerging talents, each episode unveils the fascinating stories behind the runway. Join us as we celebrate the diverse voices and untold stories of the fashion world, one designer at a time.
Meet the Artist, James Nick Merzetti
Tell us the story behind your brand/ art.
I never thought I had a chance as a photographer because I’m brutally color blind. Because of that I avoided pursuing anything in the arts for a long time and I ended up going to school for biotech at UofT. Once I graduated I ended up bartending in the village and just playing around with my camera as a hobby.
After a while, and a few heart breaks and life experience, I built up enough bravery to take the leap to follow my passion. (Against the advice of my then partner and family). I’m definitely self-taught which I think really helps in some ways. If you have no one telling you what to do or what is good, maybe you do flounder around for a while but when you hit on something it’s probably going to be vastly different and a true and real voice.
My signature style is definitely wide angle and contrasty from an aesthetic perspective but from an emotional perspective I like a dark, weird, and empowering voice.
What’s one piece of advice you would give someone starting out in your field?
Brand first. As AI takes our jobs the only way to stay relevant is to be the “it” photographer that brands will hire just for the clout. Easier said than done when there are a million photographers all trying to do the same thing, but just be true to your voice, don’t spend too much time on Pinterest, spend more time in art galleries and follow what makes you happy. If you have even a a touch of talent the clients will come!
What do you love most about FAT?
Toronto is one of the biggest and most diverse cities in the world, however its appreciation of and budget for artists is incredibly small in comparison. There has really only been one time tested platform for Designers in this city and That is definitively FAT. Vanja Vasic has made it her mission to uplift creatives in this city who would otherwise struggle to find a way to show the world their work. Fashion shows have come and gone in this city but FAT has stayed relevant and continued to grow and become THE Canadian Fashion show.
What does 2024 hold for you:
I’m going all in on AI. We are entering a period where a lot of people are going to become irrelevant. Even if you never use AI in a single one of your works you have to be absolutely on the cutting edge knowledge-wise. So 2024 for me is definitely going to be a year of integrating new technology while at the same time refining my craft from a more purist view. My client list is getting exciting but that has never been a motivator for me. What I really what I find the most exciting is some of the larger creative projects I have in the pipeline. I do have goals like any good business man but what has really moved the needle for me is to keep my head down, ignore everyone else, and focus on the creative work.
What inspires you:
I’ve been vocal in the past about psychedelics as a valuable tool in gaining perspective on your work and healing psychological trauma and I think you can see that in a lot of my creative work. I also really believe that looking at others work for inspiration, wether its instagram of Pinterest is the worst way to get inspired. In fact,. Thats basically all that AI is doing to generate its ideas. I really feel you have to at the very least get your inspiration from other mediums (paintings, architecture, literature) or at the best translate your own internalized experiences into photographs. Not everyone may gel with the output but I think for those that resonant with it, it resonates much harder.
Beyond that, I know that being color blind definitely inspires me and anything that changes the lens you are looking at things through is a good thing in my opinion!
Images provided by Merzetti Studios
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