In conversation with Karen Bystedt

“My strength and passion is connecting to my subjects on an intimate level…”

- Karen Bystedt

Image: Karen Bystedt with artworks from The Lost Warhols collection. Featuring artworks by Karen Bystedt and Brayden Bugazzi.

Karen Bystedt, a renowned American photographer and street artist, has captured the world's attention with her remarkable artistic vision. Her most celebrated work includes a series of photographs taken of the iconic Andy Warhol back in 1982.

How would you describe your style as a photographer, and particularly as a portrait photographer? 

My strength and passion is connecting to my subjects on an intimate level where they allow me to see who they really are without judgment. I usually prefer to work with natural light, and also having my subjects style themselves.

You also have a background in street art - how would you describe your style in this medium and does this influence your mixed media works?

I have a strong background in street art for two reasons – one is I’ve worked and collaborated with many Street Artists on Murals, in LA, NY, Portugal and Dublin, and also created my own murals using wheat paste and spray paint. And in my fine art pieces I have incorporated paint, letter stencils, and Diamond Dust.

What inspires you most about Warhol as a man and an artist?

After I rediscovered 10 of my original negatives, I started to feel Warhol’s spirit guide me. My love affair with Andy Warhol began when I found my negatives. And in terms of Warhol, as an artist, I admire his ability to recognise and give light to ordinary objects in our daily life, as well as shine light on people who have accomplished great things. As a man I admire the fact that he was very inclusive. He collaborated with Jean Michel Basquiat, a black artist, and he supported women, gay men, straight men and women, and loved drag queens. He truly was a man to admire, as well as being incredibly in the forefront of all trends which I too am passionate about.

As a young student, can you describe how it felt at the time to be in the room with Warhol, photographing him?

I knew that Andy Warhol was a very important artist as I had grown up learning about his Soup cans and Pop Art. He had already accomplished an immense amount of fame. I conceptualised photographing Warhol as a male model for a book I was publishing, and my way of dealing with the shoot was to focus on my concept – ANDY AS MODEL: to come into the room and photograph these model photographs.

Image: Consumer Art and Karen Bystedt, Flower Soup Bananas.

What was his response to the portraits?

I did publish my book on male models. It was called Not Just Another Pretty Face.

The book had 20 of the top male models in America and I had a big party at a club to celebrate the publication of my book, which Andy attended. He also told photographer Patrick McMullan that these were “the best modelling portraits ever taken of him.”

Was there a particular impetus to deciding to dig the photographs out of the archives and did you know at the time what you wanted to do with them?

Well, in truth, I had lost track of the negatives because as a young adult, I had moved so many times. The impetus to find my negatives came after I did some spiritual work with an ex-Tibetan monk named Dhargya. I also saw an article in the Financial Times, which wrote about a self-portrait of Andy selling for 38 million.

In fact, I was only able to find 10 out of 36 of my negatives. I spent four months working with an archival specialist to make sure the portraits were pristine. In terms of knowing what to do with them. I realise that he has now become the icon – and I thought, wouldn’t it be great for me to work with other artists and have him be the subject of the art.

How is it for you to collaborate on works with other artists, often based in different countries?

I do love working with artists all over the world and allowing them the opportunity to pay homage to Andy Warhol who is such a huge influence on so many of us artists.

And a quick fire 5:

Any upcoming projects of note that you can discuss?

I am working on an art gown collection. I am working with an iconic jeweller on a gold queen collection of shoes. I have an up-and-coming show later in the year with graffiti writers in New York City. I am also working on an iconic collaboration to be announced and a sweepstake opportunity to be announced.

What have been the most rewarding moments of your career thus far?

I have been fortunate to have so many rewarding moments in my career, having shown with Brown Thomas in Dublin and an amazing show in NYC with GLWD. Three highlights have to be when Prince Albert purchased my first Artist Proof of Handsome Andy, revealing 4 of my photographs of Andy at The Warhol (Museum), and having a private showing of my photographs at the Hearst Tower in NYC.

Image: Karen Bystedt, Gold Kings (Basquiat and Warhol).

What’s the best advice they have ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received is to follow my gut.

Who are you outside of the ‘office’?

Outside the office I’m passionate about health and I spend a lot of time running around with my dog Snowbuddha; I’m a social loner.

What do you love about London?

I love a lot about London. I’m a huge tennis fan so I’m thrilled to be showing in Wimbledon.

Karen Bystedt's The Lost Warhols exhibition, showcasing new interpretations of Andy Warhol's iconic works by contemporary artists, is open at the Ad Lib Gallery until 18 June 2023.

Website: karenbystedt.com

Instagram: @karenbystedt 

Twitter: karenbystedt 

LinkedIn: Karen Bystedt