Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series #13: The Prototype 7/14/19

Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr

Interviewee: The Prototype

Self Portrait by Prototype

     Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series! When I was conducting this particular interview with this interviewee, I was originally going to conduct it through email as I’ve done with many of the other creatives. But this interviewee actually preferred for me to interview her in person, which I couldn’t refuse this request. So I travelled on the C train all the way to Brooklyn to make sure that this interview would come to fruition. In 2016 I started this blog, but in 2017, I volunteered to be interviewed for this interviewee’s video series which left a strong impression on me.

    After a year and some change, I revisited that video, watching the interview and remembering fondly of that time and how it was one of the reasons why I brought this blog back for its 2019 revival. I once said after the 2017 interview that I would interview this person one day, and the day finally came. Ladies, Gents, Robots, and Area 51 meme kings, please welcome Photographer and Videographer, The Prototype! 

Q0. Who are your inspirations?

PT:  Inspirations? Hmm, there's this guy on YouTube called Infinite Waters. He's very in tuned with the spiritual world. The way he speaks is inspiring, because he never says "um" as he speaks. He's confident and it shows in his form of speech. My mom is always an inspiration and that's because I've seen her "through the wire" (a reference to classic Kanye lyrics). She's always been there, and seeing her is amazing. Lisa Nicholas is inspiring as well. She was an artist with a child, who provided for her child, with wisdom, and through her story, you get to see where she started and where she ended up being. 

Q1. How did you get into art, most notably photography?

PT:  Whew, I stumbled into photography by accident. I Definitely fell in photography by accident haha. I was actually going through a really hard time. I went to LaGuardia Community College with the goal to study Early Childhood Development. But that changed, and I stayed as a Liberal Arts major, which by that time I had yet to touch photography. I was really struggling during that period of time. I was living with friends and had no money. Then one day I came across this photography gig on a boat, and I took it. I'm a very sociable person, so I was taking boarding photos, and that lead into taking photos of landscapes, and then I took school day photos. Each gig led to another opportunity, which caused me to learn the business side of photography, and putting invoices. Then people started hitting me up, asking for me to take photos for weddings, and then that led to me interviewing people in between it all. After that I went to Citi College and pursued my bachelors for photography. 

Q2. When did you take art seriously?

PT: When I had no money. Cause you start realizing "Fuck! What am I doing?" I think I had a blessing, because when you have no money, you end up doing things that you would usually do if it had no money involved. And I was blessed to find what I liked doing. 

Q3. What drives you in your daily life?

PT: Pfft! Um, at this moment, I'm trying to find out who I am. I wake up and I'm like "what are we gonna do today, what are we gonna find today. Get your ass out there.”

Q4. What made you the person that you are today?

PT: *Looks to the mirror, in her room "Do you know the answer? " Haha. I'd say the shit that I went through made me who I am. I think that this person who's been through what they've been through, is usually the opposite of what I didn't want to go through. So this beautiful, enlightened person became what they became due to the opposite of what I wanted to be. And I became the better for it. 

Q5.  If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?

PT:  Gah, arrggh! I'll give you my current inspiration. My current inspiration is Spike Lee. I'm fascinated by how he directs the movies that he directs with the concepts and how he uses symbols in an artistic way. 

Q6. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?

PT: I would speak to Vivian Maier, and I would ask her why she would take photos from the angles that she would take them. She was an introvert, and she would take photos of people without asking to. She always took photos in the moment. She fascinates me because she was a nanny and didn't become famous until after she died. She would document the life of people, and the only people that were there for her was the kids that she raised. All of her stuff that she had as a roll of film, was in storage until some guy found her work, and loved her work so much that he put her work out there for the world to see, which led to he becoming famous after her death. 

Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

PT: India. I'm really big on herbs and senses. I'm all about smelling good and I love the taste of food and seeing all of the ingredients of all the things related to food. What I've noticed is they rely a lot on spices. I think it's one of the most spiritual places to be at least that's from what i've read. I just want to get the feel of the ancestors, and I've been told that the poverty is crazy, but I'd like to experience it all to truly get an authentic sense of what India is all about. 

Self Portrait by Prototype

Q8. What is one thing that you fear?

PT: Whew, one thing that I fear? Not being confident in myself. 

Q9.  If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

PT: Time travel. I would always love to see a lifestyle that I've never experienced. I'd love to see what it was live to live in the 1920s, and the 80s. People used to think different, act different, the standards and morals we're different. And music, oh my God, music was totally different. So I would definitely travel back in time just to see how things used to be. 

Q10. What catches your attention when you meet people?

PT: I don't want to be cliche, but what catches my attention about people is their vibes. Just how happy they are. It's hard to talk to someone that's always miserable. "It's fine" "it's okay", like Jesus Christ kill me now! Haha. 

. Q11. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?

PT: Just keep on swimming, just keep on swimming! I would say keep enlightening yourself and your inner child, don't be afraid of yourself, and fuck shit up! Fuck shit up! I think people live too much by the rules. 

Q12. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?

PT: Um, I Can't Make this Shit Up by Kevin Hart. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  Salt, it's a poetry book by Nayyirah Waheed. Salt is a poetry book that's about heart felt situations. I always like to read poetry and read symbols from other artists and how they relate things. Think and Grow Rich is like a success book, writing down your goals, thinking positive, always staying ahead of the game. 

    It's like your goal board, it's gonna happen, actually I gotta reread that book. Kevin Hart's book, his humor is in that book and it shows. I enjoy knowing about the person and seeing where he came from and seeing him succeed is dope. He didn't become famous until he entered his 30s. Most successful people nowadays are in their 20s and we're beating ourselves up, but he made it in his 30s and shows that success takes time. 

Q13. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?

PT: This literally popped in my head. Do you remember the movie with Tyra Banks and Barbie? *Note, the movie is called Life-Size. I would definitely like a remake of that. Time has changed so much since then, especially for women. We live in an era where women are more empowered than ever before. We have more representation, and I'd be interested in seeing how Barbie would be represented today. 

Q14.  If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?

PT: I would definitely pick Erykah Badu, and I would choose the album Amerykah Pt 1. It's revolutionary in its metaphors, and I love how it symbolizes American Life. I would like to see a movie depiction of that album. Hey, studios! Would you help me with this direction? ha ha. I think that album came out back in 2005, 6, or 2007. But yeah, my go to pick is definitely the first Amerykah. What's crazy about that album to me is that I have fond memories of when I was in highschool, I think was a freshman or sophomore, and I was listening to that album at that time. I was in California, and every thing that I was envisioning consisted of skits in New York. I knew, Knowing that New York is the place where I wanted to be. So I would be in my room listening to that album, envisioning myself as though I was in New York. Fast forward a few years and now, I'm living in New York. That's why I picked that album.

Q15. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?

PT: I think my mom, most definitely. She's the only consistent person in my life. That girl knows who I am. 

Q16. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

PT: In five years.. I envision owning my own home and owning my own business. The business part would be with art and restaurant. Owning my own home would be everything that I'd envision, with a green room full of plants, a BBQ spot where I could have friends cook, hang out, and eat. I’d have a few dips in the pool of my own, and have a zoo that I would have in my house full of all of my pets. I don't like having my animals in a cage *cough cough, Oliver the turtle (who is in his tank). 

Self Portrait by Prototype

Q17. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?

B: Songs? Hmm, I definitely play songs more than albums. Three songs in constantly listening to is "My Homies" by Majid Jordan. I'm from the West coast so I listen to TY Dolla Signs, just to get hyped up before anything. Ari lennox "Shea Butter and Whip Cream" is another song that I listen to a lot. 

Q18. What color speaks to you the most and why?

PT: Green. It's such a vibrant, welcoming, Zen type of color that gives you happiness. I work very well on the outside, mainly in nature. 

Q19: What is your greatest weakness?

PT: Being lovable. I say that because people find it that being loving to others makes you come off as very passive, so people would assume that they could get my way with me. But despite that, I feel that If you're lovable, then you're most likely to be remembered and honored in a good way. 

Q20. What is your greatest strength?

PT: My greatest strength is being curious. I'm not afraid to try new things or start over again. Or say "what if"?

Q21.What's one thing that you're proud of?

PT: One thing that i'm proud of, hmm... I can say that I'm still here, still up and still alive. That I'm still working towards something.

Q22. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?

PT: I've been saying this a lot, but this isn't for myself. "Let's get litty titty" haha. This phrase actually helps. haha But on a serious note, I’d say the mantra I tell myself is this: Your first thought is your best thought.
If I say I want to ride a bike, that's your best thought and you should go ride your bike. Because if you take time away from your first thought, you start to convince yourself all the reasons why don't want to ride your bike. So i’d say that your first thought, is your best thought. 

Q23. What is success to you?

 PT: Success to me is wealth because you don't want to be rich. I don't want to be rich, I want to be wealthy, I want to be able to help others, without thinking. I just want to be comfortable career. I just want to be comfortable that my success is at the right level. 

Self Portrait by Prototype

   You can follow her work on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pro.totype/?hl=en , You could also follow her work on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFTs03bbJh8k58ykk5PL1SQ 
And you can find her interview with me from 2017 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUAmum7JFNk

Behind the Scenes frame by Prototype. The interview was conducted at her place. A grand time!