Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Phensy
Hi Christina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When I was young, I grew up mixed race and queer in a conservative area of Texas. I was a first generation child of a refugee from Laos, because of the communist revolution, so l experienced an array of classism and racism. I overcame those challenges and after realizing being a starving artist wasn’t very viable, I graduated with an architectural engineering degree. After realizing being detached from art wasn’t emotionally viable, I got on a Facebook art department group and started at the bottom. I continued to work my way up until I was able to go union and then the pandemic hit and things have been weird since, but it was all worth it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nope. No. and Definitely not. Pursuing art is a challenge of it’s own, especially without generational wealth or resources to assist in the capitalistic structures that stifle our growth and exploration. Although, having a true passion did break through these barriers when not much else did. I struggled to have faith in my art practice and trust my community, but through time and fostering a sense of love and interdependency, I was able to get my stride. I also have had to adjust my attitude and ego charged perspectives on what it means to be successful as a creator. Humbling oneself in a city like Los Angeles isn’t easy!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a multi-media artist and filmmaker in Los Angeles, California. My art practice is always in flux as different mediums attract me and I continue to lack discipline to stay with just one. Currently, I just finished a short film called “Elegy for the Future” which I wrote and directed and premiered at LOOK Cinemas-Glendale for Noho Cinefest. It’s a queer cyberpunk story that establishes the visual language and tone of the eco-dystopian world and characters I created. Different genres are blended and I take a feminist lens to the male dominated genre of science fiction. I am very excited about this and am hoping I get funding for the full feature script I am writing based off the proof of concept.
I also just created an experimental video exploring my gender and societal beauty standards called “Being Beautiful” that exhibited in a group project called “Grrl Telephone” at Ilali Studios in Berlin.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I took some major risks in life. The biggest one was leaving a career in engineering behind to pursue film and TV with no connections or prior experience. I started as a scenic painter to get my foot in the door and it ended up being worth it as I was able to get to where I am today. And then after the pandemic and strikes, I’m taking a big risk staying with this career to be honest. It’s fickle and merciless but I’m a big fan of big risks when your heart is in the right place. We only get this one life after all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christinaphensy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cphensy/
Image Credits
Lee Dubin
Lindsey Byrnes
Evan Woods
