courteney frisby: the spirit of rave

How would you describe your photography? 
Having my own perceptive gaze towards the spiritual conditions we are living in today as humanity have a personal matter for a universal connection now through these hard times. My photography is a way to express my view of the world and vocalise my emotions especially when I can’t articulate the words out loud.

What interests you in photographing the rave scene/underground culture? 
I am interested in the beauty of raves as it allows you to escape into a spiritual vessel; eliminating expectations of who you are and how things ought to be. Fully experiencing what it feels like to be in the exact moment. 

When did you begin photographing the scene? Do you feel it has changed at all? 
When I was in my first year of university, I lost my faith and journey in photography. I wasn’t inspired by the things around me or didn’t feel creative at all. Until I started to go out and be around Londoners, that's when my eyes opened up more. I started to take pictures of these people on my phone and it clicked into my head. I knew I wanted to document youth culture and spiritual conditions that we were in. Thats when raving came into my life, it just felt like all the stuff I went through was for a reason and a purpose. Raving made me so empowered by my camera, it felt like I had a duty to defend this shared culture. So, I started to purchase film cameras and compact cameras and it all took off from there. I went to over thirty raves in just one year and became a solid raver. Ever since i started to shoot raves it has gave me a platform to show off my identity and my artistry. I've had the maddest opportunities thrown at me and I am forever grateful to be in this industry. I just feel constantly loved all the time.

I got into raving around two years ago, and even though this is a short time, I could feel big changes. I’ve seen commercialised raves grow increasingly popular now more than ever. I am grateful that people are giving a platform for raves, however the definition of raving is losing its transcendental essence. People attending are forgetting the mystical consciousness that involves you to dance with the cosmos. A sense of interdependence with the world. That's why I prefer to go to illegal parties as the social media bullshit is dropped and everyone can focus on you being the human being you are. The global pandemic has changed the scene dramatically as illegal raves have shown how we need to go back to our natural roots and step into our unique selves 

Best rave you’ve been to? 
The best rave I've been to would be the last rave before the first lockdown. I went to an abandoned warehouse and was hypnotised for nine hours. I felt undefined and experienced what it actually felt like to be in the exact moment. It really exposed my eyes to the original spirit of rave. Everyone was dancing, getting to know one another, no phones or judgments. The owner hired a dancer and he had this long plait where he would whip his hair back and forth, standing on the decks where everyone could see. He sure did bring the vibe. It was like I walked into a world where a rejection of consumerism and materialism was celebrated. The space had no dominated culture, no-hierarchy, just you and your soul. There was art and community and finding people I could identify with. Almost like these people around me shared a similar version of life. But there was a bitter sweet moment, as we all knew it was going to be the last rave for a very long time. We all hugged tighter than ever. It was an unforgettable night. 

What are the influences behind your work?

I would say the late eighties and early nineties influence my work as the photographers back then captured historical images that we've never seen before. Dave Swindells has influenced a lot of my work as he captured long exposures with combination of swirls of colours that created this proto-psychedelic ambiance feel to the photograph. It feels like it reflects the atmosphere and the essence of the rave. His experimentation caused him to find something totally new, which empowered him to find his artistry and refinement in that divine time. And that has influenced my work a lot. 

Do you have any photographers that inspire you?

I am constantly inspired my Wolfgang Tillman; I would even go as far as saying he is my favourite photographer. I want to create a lot of intimate documentation of subcultures and communal experiences and also examine the relationship between spirituality and solidarity. Tillman represents that in a nut shell as he always grows close with his subject to have a better understanding of their humanity. Something I take in consideration when shooting my own projects. I love that he has a persistent longing for a universal connection 

Your work primarily focuses on today's youth culture. What do you think about today's youth? What would you say is unique to our generation? 
We can see that our youth culture is more spirituality inclined. I would say that is our uniqueness as a generation. More and more people are waking up and have started to connect with their own higher consciousness. Young people have realised that we are endless, that we can do anything and we can come together as one. I am really proud to be from this generation as we have strived into the light beings we are, those that spread love and keep the peace. We are healing the planet and healing ourselves, which is a reflection of how young people want to see the world. Our generation makes me have hope for our future. 

Favourite photograph you’ve taken? What's the story behind it? 
I have three that are my favourite. The first one is an image of three loving girls back stage. We all stayed on the floor and interacting with each other deeply. I love the fact that the image reflects the energy that was in the room, how the red connotes the love and the yellow signifies the happiness. This was the first image that I knew I wanted to focus on long exposures and the fine art aspects in raves. The second and third are from the same rave. It was an abandoned bus station and was one of the sickest raves I've ever attended. The photograph of the two men are my friends who created an atmosphere that transcended the whole crowd into a trance state. As a viewer, you can see the vitality and spirit between the two and just looking at the photo takes me back to the feeling of wholeness. With the third image, I feel like I don't need to describe the story behind it. You can tell that these two have passionate love for one another. I am ecstatic that they allowed me in on their intimacy.

insta: https://www.instagram.com/courteneyfrisby/

prints available here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/cfrisbyphotos