What began as a way of escaping the monotony of Instagram has taken Scottish artist Portis Wasp into the world of international fashion, photography and creative direction. Since posting his first collages in 2014, Wasp has developed a distinctive visual language that brings together high-fashion imagery, pop culture, cartoon characters, celebrity and sexuality, often with a mischievous sense of humour.
Working from the Scottish countryside, far removed from the traditional centres of fashion, Wasp initially attracted attention through his playful reworkings of existing photographs. His unconventional approach soon caught the attention of the industry itself. In 2017, he collaborated with photographer Steven Klein and stylist Nicola Formichetti on an editorial for VMAN, an experience that brought him directly into the world he had previously explored through collage. His subsequent projects have included collaborations with major fashion houses and publications such as Moschino, Diesel and Harper’s Bazaar.
Although collage established his reputation, Wasp’s interests have continued to expand. Photography, film and creative direction have allowed him to become increasingly involved in the creation of the original imagery, rather than simply transforming the finished result. Throughout this development, he has maintained the irreverence and unmistakable personality that first made his work stand out.
In conversation with The FLUX Review, Wasp reflects on his unexpected journey into fashion, the importance of retaining his creative independence, his fascination with popular culture and the possibilities that lie beyond collage.
You started making collages in 2014 because you had become bored with the kind of content people were sharing on social media. Did you have any sense at the time that Instagram could become the beginning of an actual creative career?
Not at all. I was looking for a creative outlet and was leaning into having fun on the platform. You have no sense of attracting an audience when you begin creating, so it was the start of a fun and exciting creative journey for me.
Your early collages brought fashion photography together with cartoons, celebrity imagery and a very playful sense of sexuality. What was it about combining those worlds that felt so natural to you?
I’ve always been a fan of pop culture and celebrity. I wasn’t too familiar with the fashion world, to be honest, but I definitely was aware of photographers like Steven Klein and David LaChapelle, who have contributed so much to culture with their striking imagery. I think I’m a product of all the artists and imagery I’ve been inspired by from an early age, so to me, the direction felt natural but also complemented my personality – finding ways to mash up the many things I love.
You have described your work in the past as a kind of ‘fun, horny fantasy’. Has that sense of escapism remained important even as the work has become more polished and closely connected to the fashion industry?
It has. I think it can be very easy to lose your sense of identity when you find yourself working in the industry, but it’s important to remind yourself as often as possible of what first attracted others to your work. That being said, you must be able to understand the client and find new ways to develop your style whilst also understanding a brand’s DNA. If approached in the right way, your work will develop in a way that feels natural and stays true to your personality and the artist that you are.
You grew up and built much of your early practice in Scotland, away from the centres of the fashion industry. Do you think that distance helped you develop a point of view that felt less influenced by what everyone else was doing?
Absolutely. There are a lot fewer distractions and temptations when you’re out in nature, away from the energy of a city. I think it’s also important not to be fully available to people at all times. Whilst creating is never a chore, it’s important to take the time needed, without distractions, to work on your craft.
Your work often takes existing fashion imagery and pushes it into something stranger, more theatrical or more emotionally charged. What tells you that an image has enough potential to be reworked?
For the most part, I work with imagery I’m excited by. In some ways, it’s audacious to see something good and want to make it ‘better’, but it really comes from being excited by the image in the first place – and the possibilities that can come from playing with it. For me, it’s like hearing a great song for the first time. It activates me to get creative myself.
Collage is fundamentally about taking things apart and putting them back together. Do you still enjoy the sense of disruption in that process, particularly when you are working with imagery that has already been carefully art-directed?
I do. I recently art-directed and collaged a cover story that will be published soon, and it was so exciting to have had a strong influence over the direction of the shoot, which in turn provided me with so many options thereafter to collage. Did I need to collage? Absolutely not, as the images turned out fantastic, but we are inundated with editorials that very rarely jump off the page for the audience, so why not push ourselves further into unknown territory and really put on a great show for the people who are still invested in purchasing print magazines?
Your recent work feels broader than the Instagram collages that first brought you attention, moving across photography, film and creative direction. Was there a point when you consciously decided you did not want to be defined only as a collage artist?
I think curiosity has prompted me to develop my skill set, as well as a desire for more creative control over my work. It can be a double-edged sword when people see you as someone who reworks other people’s work. There will come a point when you have more of a desire to tell the stories you want to tell, so you have to find new ways to show people that you’re not a one-trick pony.
You have collaborated with brands and publications including Moschino, Valentino, Diesel, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. What makes a commercial project feel like a genuine collaboration rather than simply an adaptation of your style?
I think mutual appreciation and admiration for each other. The brands you have highlighted were all looking for me to imprint my personality onto their projects. If there is respect for what you both do, then it’s going to be a hugely beneficial project for both parties.
Queer desire and masculinity have always had a strong presence in your work. Has the way you represent those ideas changed as both you and the culture around them have changed?
I don’t think so. I’m not really someone who follows trends, and there is definitely the desire in me to continue to create what feels natural to me, but I do think the landscape has become a lot more neutral of late. I think a show like ‘Heated Rivalry’ has been fantastic for reminding people that we desire to feel many things when consuming art, which is why it’s important to give people options. We all desire to feel something.
Your work often combines glamour with humour and something deliberately excessive. Do you think fashion sometimes takes itself too seriously, and is part of your role to puncture that?
I think a lot of people take themselves too seriously, regardless of the industry they are working in, and we all have a choice to entertain those people or make a conscious choice to find people who are better aligned with us. Had it not been for the people working in fashion who gravitated towards my work, I wouldn’t be working in the industry, so I’m very grateful that we found each other through my art.
In a recent interview, you spoke about wanting to make imagery that does not look like everything else in a landscape where so much visual content can feel interchangeable. Has originality become harder to protect now that images circulate so quickly?
Yes, to a degree. I think with the rise of certain social media platforms, it has become commonplace to see someone go viral and then, just as quickly, see multiple other variants circulating where no effort has been made to create something original. I personally think if your work feels honest to you and you have a distinct style, you shouldn’t have much to worry about, as what you’re also showcasing is your mastery, which is undeniable. But it is definitely a growing concern for artists to see others profit from their original work.
After moving from viral Instagram collages into fashion campaigns, film, photography and creative direction, what still feels like unexplored territory for you?
Acting. It’s something I’m excited to revisit in the future.
For more information, visit Portis on Instagram
