Photographer: Anuhya Dias Saxena

1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?

Anuhya Saxena:- Growing up in the diverse environment of East London exposed me to a wide range of cultures and communities, which has deeply influenced my creative practice. As a woman of color, I recognize the significance of representing people who challenge traditional, Eurocentric beauty standards in fashion imagery. This understanding has shaped the casting choices I make in my projects, such as Divine Vigour. My interest in fashion publications began with magazines that highlighted non-mainstream narratives, like Dazed and The Face. As someone who finds it challenging to learn through written formats, I’ve turned to fashion and art as visual mediums to explore socio-political contexts, cultural histories, and expressions of identity. These themes—identity, diversity, intersectionality, and inclusivity—are central to the work I create and the messages I aim to convey.

2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?

Stella Cattaneo and Anuhya Saxena:- The project Divine Vigour was a creative collaboration between me (Anuhya Saxena) and Stella Cattaneo. We both would say this project was one that we are most proud of to date. In order to produce something more professional and sleek we both supported each other's ambitious aspirations such as to do Shoots involving large teams and tricky locations like Formby beach. Despite not having much experience working in a big team, collaborating with designers, professional models, makeup and fine artists, massively developed our professionalism and creative practice. It felt like a breakthrough moment for both of us and we found it incredibly rewarding to see our shared creative vision unfold into the final images. Especially since the images we created made both us and models involved feel confident and empowered.

3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?

Stella Cattaneo:- Divine Vigour has been my most challenging creative project that I've engaged with yet, however it's been a pivotal point for my creative practice. In some ways, I felt very affiliated with the project - as a woman, creating a photography series reimagining powerful female figures that subvert gender stereotypes made me feel very empowered and excited. However, as I was exploring cultures that are foreign to me, it was really important to treat the matter tenderly as I understood the significance of these figures in said cultures. To assure that I was providing an accurate representation, as well as conducting thorough personal research in the early stages of the project, it was also very important for me to make this a collaborative project. When doing each shoot I prioritized having a model from each of the cultures that we explored to facilitate conversations evoking a more personal angle. This made the shoot very powerful and was really helpful in overcoming the challenge of creatively exploring and representing something that is in some ways very foreign to me.

4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?

Anuhya Saxena:- Most of my work focuses on individuals and communities because I believe there are so many inspiring and untold stories waiting to be shared. However, many people struggle to find a creative outlet to express these narratives. Through my specialized medium of photography and my ability to connect with people, I bring these stories to life in my work.

One example is a zine I created titled Coconut Zine, which explored the struggles and celebrations of being British South Asian. The zine featured documentary photography of areas in London that hold historical significance to the British South Asian community, along with interviews that explored the intersectional identities of young queer and non-binary British South Asians. Much like this project, my work seeks to explore social contexts through the lens of fashion photography. In doing so, I aim to create a space where people can both learn and feel represented.

5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?

Stella Cattano:- Reflecting on my creative journey, some of the most pivotal moments in my early career occurred when I stepped out of my comfort zone. Although it may sound cliché, this was when I broke free from my small creative bubble, stopped trying to handle everything alone, and started collaborating and networking with like-minded individuals. For a long time, I kept my work private, hesitant to share it on social media or submit it to publications. A major milestone for me was beginning to promote myself and build a digital network of creatives for future collaborations. Moving forward, my goal is to continue sharing my work and growing a strong creative network, as collaboration is the backbone of this industry.