Today we’d like to introduce you to Yusef Ferguson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always enjoyed creating stories. My imagination was always a sort of safe space, I suppose. As a kid, I would play with sticks in my yard and imagine I was a ninja battling samurai. My friends and I would draw comics in class instead of taking notes, creating repeating characters, universes, and storylines that all intersected. I would make fake brands or anime movie posters in my sketchbooks at home. I’ve just always loved the idea of creating my own world or bending the rules of the one I live in. I didn’t realize I wanted to pursue being a storyteller until after I graduated high school. I got into a school on a full-tuition academic scholarship, declared myself an accounting major, and figured I was on my way to a solid life. But during my first year of undergrad, I entered the worst depression of my life. Skipping class became more regular than actually attending, and when I got the letter informing me of my lost scholarship at the end of the year, it was no surprise. I felt like I had no direction.
My dad had been saving up for a trip to Morocco, and he, seeing me in my shit, somehow scrapped up enough to grab me a ticket as well to get me out of the country for the first time. I resisted at first, wanting to work and stack funds so I could make my next move, but he insisted it would be good for me. I packed a small Canon digital camera with me to take pictures for my family, but as I began to get more acclimated with my surroundings in Morocco, I began filming what I saw. The community, the people, the food, the land, and the life that was all around me captivated my spirit. My depression began to lift as each day, the prospect of what to film filled me with excitement and anticipation. I created a “movie” of my experiences that was by no means quality, but it sparked something. I knew I wanted to be a storyteller by trade and that filmmaking was the medium I felt I could best express myself through. When I returned to America, I began working jobs and saving up. A year later, I enrolled in my local state school as a film major.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No road that leads to anything substantial in life is smooth. This journey has been no different. One of the biggest obstacles that I face, that all creatives face, is keeping the lights on while also keeping the dream going. It’s not always been the easiest to generate consistent revenue solely through creative projects. The conundrum is that any work that will pay well is usually work that takes time away from the creative. It has been a delicate balancing act, to say the least. Another obstacle of sorts that I’m sure people can relate to is just the concept of being the first member of your family or immediate circle to attempt a career as an artist. It is not exactly the most conventional path and it doesn’t provide much security either. People are happy to support as they can, but it definitely can be a lonely journey at times.
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 began this journey with the intention of being a filmmaker, but I now feel that is only one aspect of my artistic identity. I am a video and installation artist, sketch artist, film archivist, curator, and creative director. Beyond that, I am a storyteller and image maker as well. I tell stories through the images I create. I am captivated by the supernatural and surreal and I love to play with the intersections of reality like the relationship between the fictional and nonfictional worlds or the living and the dead. I am skilled at manipulating scale and perspective in my work and extending the artistic life and integrity of a film beyond the screen. I love to play with perception and explore elements of our universe that exists beyond our own perception. I explore human consciousness and the intangible things that bind us together as a species.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Many people in your life can provide mentorship, the biggest thing is to be open enough to receive advice but have enough discretion to know which advice is worth taking. If you can establish that, you will have many mentors in your life. Networking is something I honestly tend to avoid. The arts are such a personal undertaking and in so many networking spaces, there are people who are only interested in leeching what they can personally benefit from you without any effort to pour into your vessel. Avoid those people at all costs and instead, find spaces where your full self is accepted and embraced.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yuseferguson.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyusef/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yusef-ferguson/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/yuseferguson
