Meet Clovis Goss | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clovis Goss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clovis, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
A lot of times I’ve asked myself why do I keep making art. I always come back to the conclusion that the reason I make art is to move someone or get some spark of a reaction, if one of my pieces can make someone react, even if it’s just that one person than I keep going.
When the time comes where no one is moved or reacts to what I make, I know it’s time to stop or either change course in my work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Most concepts centered in my work revolve around emotions of “home” & how it changes as we ourselves change while away from it, therefore our lens becomes obscure & altered. Exploring these altered lens through collaging photos to complete the obscurity of the image is what makes my art stand out among contemporaries. I first started exploring this method in undergrad while working on a collection entitled “Missing Bodies” that focused on intimate abuse among LGBTQAI+ relationships, since that was an area of personal experience. With these kinds of topics & imagery I am excited to showcase to audiences that these mixed feelings of home being so opposite to who you are can be both beautiful & terrifying while urging people to start conversations of healing & change.

Arriving at the point of being able to share this kind of work was not easy; it involved a lot of internal determination & reinforcement. It is thanks to my close friends who are my support-network that I had the resolve & motivation to move forward with my projects. It was them who where there for me in those low moments to pull me up & keep me going. Lessons came along with the journey as well, learning to trust yourself & be vulnerable being the most important & hardest to learn.

I want people to look upon my art not only to see the hard work I’ve put into them but to move them or cause that reaction in them that makes them stop & think of themselves. To take what they see & turn it inwardly to break down their own barriers to vulnerability & welcome themselves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First thing, food; Atlanta is home to some of the most amazing food. The usual top spots I take people to are Gaja’s, Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand, & Argosy in EAV and Mary Mac’s Tea Room on Ponce.

When it comes to going out for the night, a sure fire way to start the night off right is drinks at S.O.S. in Decatur. Their themed cocktails & the assortment of pop-up kitchens always make for an exciting time. As a rule of thumb I end most nights out at Mary’s in EAV. It’s a queer bar that feels like home & supports its’ community.

Atlanta is also home to brilliant community based DIY spaces like the Bakery who always have some kind of community based event or gallery happening. Some of my favorite memories were made at their previous location during one of the many music shows they booked. Also there is the MINT Gallery that put so much work into the local community while lifting up minority voices/art & have crafted brilliant galleries one after another.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A lot of my work relates to feelings of home & what home could be, so I give a lot of credit to my Mother who gave me my first camera & showed me how the world could be.

Instagram: @artbydtaurus