Read Time 3 minutes

Art in isolation with Kate Bellm

Mimi Gray

Published

July 2020

We talked to photographer Kate Bellm at home in Mallorca.

Hey Kate, tell us a bit about your childhood. I know you split your time now between London, Berlin and Mallorca. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the UK.

When did you get your first camera?

Age 12, it was my dad’s old camera.

Underwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudesUnderwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudesUnderwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudesUnderwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudesUnderwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudes

Tell us a bit about your new book AMOR.

It’s a culmination of my best work from the last 10 years … Underwater mer-babes, hot hazy landscapes and nudes printed on thick luscious paper with a red fabric cover.

What music do you play on set/when you’re in the studio?

I like very chill music like Khruangbin.

Darklight Digital - Art in isolation with Kate Bellm Page Image

Tell us the story behind this piece.

This is Tanya. In Portugal we were shooting new work for my book AMOR and we had spent the entire day on this windy beach where I had painted all the girls metallic green. This was at the end of the day, after the girls ran into the ocean to wash off the body paint. Tanya came out and lay in this position to presumably stay warm on this freezing beach and I captured the quick moment.

What inspires you?

Everything and anything … from a colour to a landscape or outfit it can send me down an inspirational route.

rainbow light
rainbow light

You were in Spain during lockdown, how did that experience affect/influence your work?

I shot all the flowers blooming in my garden but generally took a laid back approach and just tried to slow down and appreciate the change of pace.

Has anything positive come out of the pandemic for you?

Yes just enjoying being with my family everyday and not having to travel constantly

How does your practise influence/alleviate your mental health?

It totally alleviates it … I get so happy and almost high from taking photos. It has really kept me going through the good and bad times.

Dark or light?

RAINBOW LIGHT 🙂

END

All images courtesy of Kate Bellm.

Written by

Mimi Gray

Mimi is the co-founder and director of Darklight, emphasis on the DARK. With a rich background in the creative industries [including a stint as head of visual culture at a leading ad agency], Mimi has spent years cultivating her signature aesthetic which she now brings to Darklight: anything monochrome, vaguely horrifying or featuring bite marks has probably come through Mimi’s filter.

Recognised as a Future Leader by Creative Equals and a passionate advocate for affordable art and mental health awareness, Mimi is also an avid reader [of horror and gothic fiction], mother to two Sphynx cats AND an enviable collection of rare houseplants. She lives in Amsterdam.