His many sources of inspiration range from 70s vinyl covers to giallo Italian movies and expired polaroid films. If spaghetti Westerns and retro colours have fed his creativity, Joni Harbeck has been his undeniable muse. The model, introduced to him by some common friend, is the protagonist of his first monograph and most acclaimed work, Pulp Art Book , divided into two volumes of photographs, hymns to the 60s and 70s aesthetics, culture and mood.
The first volume reveals traces of Sergio Leone’s films even though, unlike the characters of Leone’s masculine movies, Joni is the heroine and the only personage to fit Neil’s frames. Landscapes reminding of 2001: a Space Odyssey are also visible in his first collection as well as sparks of Tarantino’s hysteria and decadence (Joni’s wig, pistol and rolling kit seem a reinterpretation of Mia Wallace’s inventory). Neil’s compositions overall resemble covers of vintage albums and books; psychedelic colours and elements definitely contribute to this similarity, together with the use of out-of-date polaroid films, giving the impression that the pictures were taken more than a couple of decades ago. Pulp Art Book’s second volume keeps the same themes, adding some references to Italian Poliziotteschi movies.
However, Neil Krug’s praise to his favourite époque and to his now wife, Joni Harbeck, has not been his only project. His portfolio is rich with collaborations with musicians and other artists. Devendra Banhart, Foals, Justice, Tame Impala, Scissor Sisters are just a few of the artists portrayed by Neil. His retro style is like a signature, omnipresent not only in his photographs but also in the videos and album covers that he has made. In Boards of Canada’s video ‘Reach for the Dead’, his love for super-saturated American blue skies and Western desert landscapes is again evident. Ladytron’s videos have the same vintage imprint too, with a bit of extra mysticism, helped by Krug’s use of mirrors (used also for some Scissor Sisters’ posters).
Niel Krug definitely found his own style. The question is: doesn’t it risk to decline when the current hip and vintage-loving wave loses its strenght?
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