Interview With Photographer, Instagram Star & Businessman, Haris Nukem

Welcome back to another episode of the Steven Sulley Study with your host Steven Sulley. In this episode, Steven interviews photographer and artist Haris Nukem. Harris talks through his process as an artist, and how his creative practice has developed in his collection of photos. The conversation takes them from Haris’ journey from being born in Bosnia and growing up in the UK, to making money and great art.
Key Takeaways
Who Are You, What Is Your Journey So Far? I take photographs. My work has changed recently to be more directional, more produced. My previous work has been a slightly different creative process. Throughout my life, I’ve always created stuff whether that be drawings or songs, but photography is what really clicked for me. I was born in Bosnia and came to the UK as a kid with my mom. My moms work ethic really has set the bar high for me, as she was learning English, training to be a doctor in English all at the same time.
I Started A Fashion Company With My Friend Mylo. His dad gave us a grand so we could make some clothes. As part of the company, we needed some photos of the clothes. As soon as the shutter clicked on my first photo I knew it was for me. I’d worked for an advertising agency previously so knew how to use photoshop so that’s where photography began for me.
Surpassing Adversity As An Artist. If you have experienced adversity you are going to need higher highs to compensate for that. It’s about how you focus that high. The same people who become amazing businessmen, are the same kind of people who are addicted to heroin. I am lucky that I found my thing in photography.
What’s Your Creative Process When Taking A Photo? I had spent some time in management so had some experience in managing people. For the main body of my work, I have been interested in that tribal element of all humans. If you lock eyes with someone you don’t know on the tube and you look away first there is always a sense of shame. I’m trying to examine the tribal thing in everyone, that unites us no matter who we are. I like to focus on the model performing rather than posing. This takes time to get the emotion through in the shoot.
What’s The Story Behind Nukem? It came from the Duke Nukem video game which I played as a kid. When my dad came back from Bosnia, we began playing this game together and we loved it. We bonded over the game. Then it became my Myspace name at the time, and the name has stuck since then.
How Important Is The Backstory In Your Work? I think it’s the most important thing. My recent photos are all completely allegorical. Everything is there for a reason. The objects or people in the photo and how they are positioned, it all has meaning. I’m really influenced by the renaissance artists like Caravaggio, which has inspired my pallet, and the tonal composition of my photos.
How Important Is Mental Health With Your Work? Everything for me is up and down. I go through long downswings and sizable upswings. I understand now that in my downswings I can take information in through reading or listening to podcasts. Then the ideas come in the transition through to the upswing. The activity and excitement come in the upswing. I can’t take in information at that point. I find depression specifically really useful and without it, I wouldn’t make anything. In the upswing, I will get everything down with no compromise.
What’s Your Take On Art Being Used as an Investment Vehicle? My favourite clients are not the millionaires. I love the people who save up over a long period of time because that art means a lot to them. I do the art for them. I really like my work to go up in value. Who wouldn’t want that? I want to produce bigger and crazier ideas and if it increases in value then that helps to facilitate that.
Where Do You See Yourself In The Next Five Years? I want to produce a show every year. My next show will be in Spring next year. I want to make that vision happen. I want to make great art and make money. The more money that you can make the more you can give away.
Best Moments‘I’ve always created stuff.’ ‘Everyone has time’ ‘Photography was like KPC special recipe for me.’ ‘We all have our vices some are healthy others are not.’ ‘Regardless of who we are that tribal essence is a unifying factor ‘What we wear is a core form of nonverbal communication.’ ‘Everyday I age my empathy grows.’ ‘Need insecurity to then be able to not offend others.’ ‘I always fall back to rennaise art for inspiration for my photography.’ ‘Everything is there for a reason, even where it is placed in the photo.’ ‘Depression specifically is really useful and without it I wouldn’t make anything.’ ‘Photography changed my life.’ ‘The more money you can earn, the more money you can give away.’ ‘The work has to be unique.’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Steven Sulley Study Podcast https://omny.fm/shows/the-steven-sulley-study

www.Nukemsupply.com
ABOUT THE HOST
The Steven Sulley Study is my take on success. My view is you should have multiple focuses to be a well-rounded individual. Success shouldn't be just one thing like money, for example, it should also consist of a healthy fit lifestyle and thriving relationships. As a person who has made a success in life and also made huge cock-ups I feel I can offer suggestions and tips on how to become successful or at least start your pursuit. My 'Study' has taken resources from reading and education plus being around, my perception, of successful people and I, know a lot of successful people from all walks of life. My 'Study' coming from my experiences in business, investing, sales (my core background), training, boxing and education has enabled me to become well rounded and successful.
CONTACT METHOD
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sulley.steven
About The Guest
Harris Nukem is a believer of the human spirit. Using photography as his artistic medium, his work has become a passionate study of human fortitude in the modern world.
Constructing vivid scenarios, the London based artist depicts varying manifestations of will-power and the competing beauty between “righteous” and “wayward” journeys. Using symbolism to build visual narratives, we are left to unearth their moral conclusions ourselves.
In effect, his photographs challenge our moral views, inviting a respect for human conviction — be it in glory or superficial excess, to blind discipline and indoctrination. Forced to reframe our ideas of self-care, growth, and perseverance, Nukem’s works conjure a deeper thinking.
The result is a provocative body of work — characterised by it’s opulence in colour, with bright, burning and incandescent hues. Fusing lavishness with a socially conscious, urban art sensibility, his work embodies contemporary-classical imagery.
Contact Method
Website: harisnukem.com
Instagram: instagram.com/harisnukem
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media