Natasja Maria Fourie’s presence in the music video and photography industry is becoming more and more evident. She manages to capture the most beautiful stills of usually naked, or close too, figures in the innocent surrounding of nature, describing with photos how beautiful the human body can be.

While her foundations are built in photography she is fast becoming a very respectable director, having worked with some of the most formidable South African rock bands.

We-are-awesome decided it was time to catch up with Ms. Fourie…

Andrew Berry: Your work has a strong hedonistic undertone, do you feel this is the product of the current trends, or do your philosophies of life outweigh the influence of trend in your work?

Natasja Maria Fourie: I live by my own standards. I create work around subjects that interests me. When I shoot I try and rub as much of myself and my beliefs into the work and if that reflects I would think it is safe to say that my philosophies outweigh the influence of trend. It is complicated because often the portraits say something more about myself than the subject. I still need to learn to find the balance between the two.

AB: The videos you have directed have received a fair amount of attention, are you looking to focus more time on directing rather than photography or do you plan on growing and developing in both avenues simultaneously?

NMF: I would like to work more in the direction of narrative and storytelling. My dream is to be a feature film director, but I will continue shooting stills if only for the pure pleasure I get from shooting and working so intimately with my sitters.

AB: A lot of creatives move overseas as the ‘market’ here is seen to be too small, do you feel that you can achieve your goals in Cape Town, or do you also feel the necessity to go abroad?

NMF: The market here is not too small, it is just too bloody afraid of anything bold and daring.
I haven’t achieved anything in Cape Town. I hope to elope with my lover someday, in a years time we would like
to move to San Fransisco. If photography and filmmaking doesn’t work out I can always take up a
job as a waitress, right?

AB: What is the greatest influence on your work, and who is your greatest role model in the fields of photography and directing?

NMF: I have an obsession with the naked portrait. The naked human body raises intense psychological issues. My personal photographic work deals with all those complex feelings when one is stripped naked, the feelings of shame, amusement or indifference. Everything comes back to the body and human sexuality.

Think of the nude paintings of Lucian Freud, how he plays with sensuality and involvement…
I love the work Andrew Wyeth, the simplicity and intimacy of how he treats the land and people close to him. I admire the subtle qualities of character in his painting, it is moody and evokes strong emotional currents.

Other artists include Nan Goldin, her raw diary work deals with our culture of obsession and dependency, wether it is drugs, sex or relationships. Tracey Emin, her subject matter and intimate storytelling is drawn from her personal life, and Rineke Dijkstra’ simple single portraits of adolescents and pregnant women. I love the nudes of Jock Sturges and the black and white portraits Sally Mann took of her young children. My work must in some level be inspired by all these artists. Naked portraiture will always be interesting. The most beautiful and vulgar things are produced by the human body.

AB: Finally, who do you think are some of the talented young photographers in the Cape Town scene?

NMF: Daniel Naudé

Here are some relevant links to view more of Natasja’s work.

Videos/Photos.