GATA meets COURTNEY MC: "Brutalism as Armour"
“The crucifix is present in a lot of my work just because its graphic shape is so brilliant and brutalist.”
Hidden behind a Hannya mask and away from the spotlight, stands Courtney MC; the talented former designer of the French house Givenchy. With an extensive life touring from the UK to Asia and all the way back to Europe, she is full of cultural influences. Courtney went back to the Parisian capital, where after she completed her fashion career, founded her own studio, to fulfil and find satisfaction for her creative soul.
She draws, paints and sews…a highly skilled artist, who has been working hand-in-hand hand with a diverse range of international creatives from all genres.
Her style is dark and sensual, her work mixes digital and traditional techniques, a provocative pack where religion and sexuality crash: A lovely and dark “Hentai House-of-Horrors”.
Her career has just started and the GATA team chatted with her to talk about her world and her inspirations.
G: Can you please introduce yourself to those who may not know you yet?
C: I’m a designer, artist and creative director from the UK, professionally known as Courtney MC. I studied at the Royal College of Art, before working at Givenchy for nine years, during which I became a mother, my most valuable role; and then I have eventually shifted focus into art and creative direction in music, whilst working on my own label.
G: From painting to graphic design, could you tell us how you create your art?
C: All my work stems from a place of trying to express something internal that I haven’t managed to articulate visually yet. Normally, I am trying to convey some kind of darkness or hardness, like a coat of armour for myself. It’s a visual defensive, a manifestation of feeling, or sometimes maybe even an attack.
I use oil, acrylic, digital software, and sewing… all are incredibly therapeutic and tactile.
G: Born in London, you moved at a very young age to Asia; how did these changes and travels shape your identity as an artist?
C: I was born in Nottingham actually! I moved to Malaysia when I was 8, which was a wonderful culture shock, especially since it’s a real mixture of SE Asian nationalities and religions. I think the colours and symbology of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim temples is one thing that really stuck with me, visually and spiritually. But of course, just being immersed in the lifestyles of that country was really enough to give you a strong sense of worldliness, and a broader perspective on life.
“As a proud feminist, I try to practice lifting other women up, rather than tearing them down, because jealousy is such an ugly trait that does nothing for our gender.”
G: We see a lot of Christian symbols; what was your religious upbringing like during your childhood?
C: I was at a Church Of England boarding school in the UK from 11 years old and we had to go to chapel every day, which was quite torturous. Religion is not something I follow, but I think the general intensity of it, and the striking symbology is just so fascinating. The crucifix is present in a lot of my work just because its graphic shape is so brilliant and brutalist.
“All my work stems from a place of trying to express something internal that I haven’t managed to articulate visually yet. Normally, I am trying to convey some kind of darkness or hardness, like a coat of armour for myself. It’s a visual defensive, a manifestation of feeling, or sometimes maybe even an attack.”
G: We love your style; your influence is very seductive and badass. It reminds us of some kind of darkish anime or manga. What was the main inspiration for your drawings during your creative journey?
C: Oh, I love anime, manga, hentai… all that wonderful Japanese imagery. I think that always creeps into whatever I do somehow. I grew up on Power Rangers with all those incredible Japanese monsters; as well as Star Wars, which draws most of their costume inspiration from the East, such as samurai, monks and Far Eastern Royalty. And later in life, I researched a lot into Japanese horror, Yokai and hentai. It’s the most seductive inspiration that constantly feeds me.
G: There are some Japanese figures in your artworks, especially the Japanese devil Hannya; what is your relationship with the East Asian country and/or what do you like about it?
C: The story of Hannya is about a beautiful woman who transformed into a demon out of pure jealousy. I think it’s an age-old story of what women can become when they look outwards rather than inwards, particularly in today’s society. As a proud feminist, I try to practice lifting other women up, rather than tearing them down, because jealousy is such an ugly trait that does nothing for our gender.
I’ve only been to Japan twice but I love everything about it. It is so rich in contrasting and extreme cultural visuals and ideologies, from its depictions of the most fragile beauty and to its dark twisted, sexual underbelly; both of which are intrinsic qualities of femininity.
G: You worked at The House of Givenchy and had a respected position; what was your reason for focusing on more personal projects?
C: Fashion is something I went into as an eager creative, who wanted to be nourished. I spent many years working incredibly hard and feeling motivated to the point of multiple burnouts. I had no life, and that was ok, for a while. But the industry became a beast, and by the time I left, there was just zero creative satisfaction. When you’re trying to create a business model for an industry that is driven by emotion, it’s a nightmare. I want to live and create with passion, and not based on buyers needs and excel charts. Fuck the money, I’m really in this industry to feel creative satisfaction, and have that tactile attachment to what I create. I lost my voice there, and a sense of purpose, and that’s not what life is about.
G: If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would it be?
C: Chris Cunningham / Matthew Barney / Rick Owens
G: Movies can be the source of inspiration for many creative minds, is there any movie that has inspired you/influenced your work?
C: Under the Skin, Ghost in the Shell, Star Wars, Judge Dread…
G: Is there any project you are working on right now that you can tell us about?
C: I’ve been creating Courtney MC: Sample Series for the last year. It’s a collection of sculptural garments that I believe hold value through craftsmanship as well as sustainability.
They are wearable shrines in memory of an industry that I once worshipped, each piece hand-sewn by myself, and blessed upon completion. The collection is still in development but I hope to exhibit it next year once the world re-opens.