Berlin Santes

Your art has been described as stunning and captivating. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your unique style?

Thank you! That’s kind of you. To be honest, what I try to convey is the freedom to be. Self-expression to the front in a way that makes you feel free to be. I approach most of my collaborations from a perspective of the individual community by way of togetherness mixed with individuality.

Many of your pieces explore themes of queerness and identity. Could you share with us your vision for using art as a medium to express these important topics?

Through some trauma many years back when my words were mixed and used against me,
I turned to a visual medium to represent messaging without words. I am getting back to a place of using my voice more but my medium for the last 4 years has been imagery and videos that allow people to interpret as they wish through internal strategic curation.

Your work has garnered a significant following and admiration. How do you feel about the impact your art has had on the audience and the queer community?

I am taken aback by the love and admiration because, for me, I am just being myself and expressing myself as such. I quickly learned the importance of visibility when my first video went viral and I was receiving messages about what the representation meant to people.

Can you tell us a bit about the collaboration between The Queer Coven and Darvish and Robyn for the photo shoot?

Sure! I love them both a lot and think the world of them as individuals as well as their body autonomy and ownership over self. I was travelling to Berlin over Pride and knew I wanted to collaborate with them. Sebastian Kiener, photographer, and I were chatting via IG. I had an idea to put something together for us in a studio setting and what you see is what happened. We shot all of the photos in about an hour, maybe even less if I am not mistaken, because Darvish had something like 3697354 bookings that weekend.