My 5 Favorite Things: Lyle Owerko
Lyle Owerko is a photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker extraordinaire. Hailing from Calgary, Canada, and now calling Tribeca home, Owerko's storied career has spanned the art spectrum — from traveling to Kenya with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs of the Millennium Initiative to document the Lau people to directing music videos for the likes of Rufus Wainwright to hobnobbing with fashion taste-makers like the Dannijo sisters. The Pratt-graduate also earned his place in photojournalism history when he shot the powerful cover for the Time magazine September 14, 2001 issue. In 2010, Owerko released The Boombox Project: The Machines, the Music, and the Urban Underground, a photographic ode to musical influences and the audio system of times past. In between his many pursuits, Owerko took the time to tell us (in words) about his five favorite things:
1. Weekends in New York City: My favorite weekends in New York start occurring early September and run through November, when people have just returned from their summer vacations. There's an optimism and sense of rejuvenation in the crisp air — projects start taking hold and I get to walk my dog while holding a hot coffee. This past spring at the end of North Moore and the West Side Highway in Tribeca, the rehabilitated pier opened up extending in to the Hudson River. It's a great place for my pitbull Luna to enjoy herself on a full sensory trot while I listen to music off my iPhone into a pair of large headphones. Lately I've been doing the journeys to one track on continuous repeat while I write a music video treatment in my head... Many a good idea has come out of the pure ether of one of these walkabouts. The Highline park is incredible and nothing like a midsummer evening walk that ends with a drink at The Standard Hotel to cap off a long day.
2. Music: Music is oxygen in my life... bands that have caught my attention lately are: The Heavy (cross James Brown with a punk'd up marching band and you have a damn good party going on here...), Polyphonic Spree, Benjamin Blower and the Army of the Broken Hearted, The Blood Arm, Francis and the Lights, Teddybears, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zero's, Citizen Cope, Fitz & the Tantrums, Shooter Jennings and Hierophant, Howlin' Rain, Living Things, Turin Breaks and old favorites from The Roots, Wolfmother, The Who, The Stones and The Beatles... the list goes on. I get a kick out of this mash-up called "Sweet Thing Stand Up" it's Mick Jagger vs Ludacris — simply get's the 'ol feet moving. I also have a slight obsession with the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. They always fuel me on my city-walk-abouts while on appointments seeing magazines with my portfolio. There's a lot of fantastic music out there right now -- especially with sites like Pandora, Spotify and RCRD LBL to cruise for new artists. Curation has taken on new high standards outside of the typical wells of influence. I have discovered so many new bands lately that make my ears very very happy...
3. Objets d'Art: Recently I collaborated with the jewelry designers Dannijo on an art project. They created an Indian Chief ring for me as a gift that's so freakin' cool. I wear it every day. I also discovered this store called By Robert James, on Orchard Street, that has old stock Japanese sunglasses. Nothing like rockin' some sharp yakuza influenced eye-wear style with yer' Adidas. Also the fine clothing by WRK and Levi's are constant companions. 511s are the best cut for jeans — in years — for a skinny upstart in old combat boots to live in. But on an even grander scale I love having a Sir Norman Foster building added to New York's skyline... a welcome addition to the city that reaches for the edges of the atmosphere...
4. Vacation: The South Pacific. Nothing like losing yourself in the big blue. Last summer while sailing with friends off of the outer islands of Fiji I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to free swim with a group of Humpback whales. There's nothing like experiencing a creature the size of a city bus gracefully passing underneath you while slowly scanning its eyes over your entire being. Seeing those giant whales at just a few curious feet away definitely gives oneself a deep sense of perspective at how infinite this planet is when it comes to natural marvels. When not floating in the ocean I'm most happy when I'm in East Africa with my Samburu friends. The times I've spent in Kenya are dreams come alive... truly exceptional on the scale of cognition and appreciation.
5. Multi-Media Influences: Best friends, my dog Luna, my girlfriend Gabriela, Storms, Cameras, Boomboxes, J. Ralph's compositions, Code and Theory's digital work, Swizz Beatz's thirst for creative expression in all media, Life + Times (Jay-Z's on-line venture), The Earth Institute at Columbia University, The Samburu, Apple products, Hasselblad gear, Dannijo, Christiane Celle, artists in all media such as Ridley Scott, Ellsworth Kelly, Vittorio Storaro, Geoff McFetridge, José Parlá, Brian Donnelly... the list could go on. However, the key is to be surrounded by people who challenge you in both your successes and failures. As my friend the actor Griffin Dunne said this past summer "work will set you free...."
