SKYE BATTLES PHOTOGRAPHY

Skye Battles is a gender-queer photographer and installation artist with over 15 years of experience in the field. They specialize in creating narrative-based images that blur the line between reality and curated moments, with an emphasis on set design. Their work is heavily influenced by their background in the LA entertainment industry as they approach photography through a cinematic lens.

Skye's journey as an artist began in middle school, where they would collaborate with friends to emulate elegant styles by rummaging through their families' closets. At the time, they had aspirations to become a fashion designer and used photography as a means to document their stylings. However, everything changed in high school when they were exposed to the work of photographer Gregory Crewdson, who inspired them to take a narrative-based approach to photography and focus on set design.

As a result, Skye developed their own unique style that has remained a constant in their work to this day. While some images are more staged than others, each photograph is a moment that blurs the line between real or curated. They continue to push the boundaries of traditional photography and explore new ways to create unique and immersive experiences for the viewer.

Skye's adult life continues to play in this uncertainty as they’ve found themselves in unconventional and serendipitous situations. At age nineteen, they moved into their first co-op in San Francisco where they started casually documenting their experiences and creating art. The co-op was called Ubuntu and they lived with thirty other people. They watched their fellow housemates and community members create music together, take photos, and even create festivals. Eventually, Skye also started producing events and community-based installation art.

One of their most notable projects was in May 2018 when they threw a collaborative immersive art and theater party with their housemates at The Red Victorian, a historical hotel, co-op, and event space on Haight St. in San Francisco. The event featured eight suburban-themed rooms, including a campsite and lemonade stand, three floors of music, and volunteers roaming the halls dressed as milkmen or boy scouts. This event was Skye's first large-scale immersive art project that not only showcased their artistic vision but also brought together the talents of others.

In addition to their installation art practice, Skye has been developing a photo series on Co-Ops in The Bay Area. Their objective is to continue collaborating with their community to curate images that reflect their unique style of playing with narrative and the unknown. Skye is constantly seeking out new opportunities to collaborate with unique communities around the world where they can photograph, design, and curate the strange stories that happen around them.