Dino Kužnik’s OCD Paradise will send you to a State of Bliss
One late afternoon, while I was listening to the tranquil sounds of Tycho, musing over my day, I discovered Dino Kužnik. The timing was perfect, as his relaxing photographs were the perfect addition to my already serene environment. As I began to develop a deeper connection to his frames, I became fully immersed in a state of bliss; floating in the clouds, I felt free.
Whether you’re browsing his social media or exploring his website, it’s evident that Kužnik has a background in design. The layout of his pages and the balance within his images pay homage to design techniques that provide the viewer with a sense of comfort and reward.
For me, his diverse skillset truly comes into its own via his exquisite series, OCD Paradise. A talented photographer understands how their work can remove people from reality, and place them in a liberating stream of satisfaction. When viewing Kužnik’s excellent work, I feel neither up nor down; I feel centered, peaceful, and in a state of mind that tells me I’m exactly where I need to be.
In a world that demands so much of our attention, that never allows us to quiet the mind, we need art and photography that lets us escape all of the noise. Aesthetically speaking, Kužnik’s photographs are certainly appealing to the eye. However, I put forward the motion they offer much more; they can serve as meditations, reflections, and holistic visual supplements that can help center the mind.
After spending time with his online persona, I realized Kužnik was a deep thinker, a man who was exploring ways to make our time on earth as positive as possible. I knew instantly he would make for a fantastic interview, so I reached out and asked if he would kindly speak to Them Frames. I’m happy to say it’s now time to hear from the man himself.
Editors note: For a heightened experience, we encourage you to read this interview and view Kužnik’s images while listening to the below album by Tycho.
Them Frames: Talk to us about your approach to life. Explore things like happiness, consistency, creativity, etc.
Dino Kužnik: Well, I like to keep busy and grow on a personal and relationship level, so I am very happy when I am growing as a person and doing the things I love. Happiness and success is a very subjective term, so it varies from person to person, and we should never apply to ourselves what society tells us is happiness - but a lot of people do that.
Money, luxurious lifestyles, fame, etc. is something that we are always force-fed from social media, media, and society in general, as happiness. But happiness is so much more than that, and it's different for each and every person in the world.
To me, happiness is very much tied to creativity and the freedom to explore that creativity as I see fit and push and evolve my craft. Happiness to me is fulfillment, growth, the freedom to manage my time, family, travel, learning new things, loving someone and oneself, cooking, etc.
We each have a different definition for that, but the most significant thing of all is the ability to pursue one's happiness - not everyone in the world has the ability to do so. Whenever I feel down, I remember that I am fortunate enough to be able to pursue my happiness, and I overcome the negative with gratefulness.
Them Frames: We love OCD Paradise! Can you tell us about the locations where you made the images and why you found yourself documenting there?
Dino Kužnik: This series is shot all over the world, and it wasn't intentionally made to be a series, at least not in the beginning. I would photograph minimalist compositions worldwide on my travels and started combining them as they had a similar tonal value or were very minimalistic and pleasing to look at.
I called the series Antidepressants at first, but OCD Paradise evolved organically as a naming convention. The photographs are made in Croatia, New York, California, The Canary Islands, and the British Virgin Islands, all over the place, really. These are minimal compositions I tend to encounter on my travels, during jobs, on vacation, or in everyday life. And I started putting them together over the years. Now I do intentionally seek out compositions that fall under the same banner, so I just add to it.
Them Frames: What was the core motivation for developing this series?
Dino Kužnik: There was no real motivation behind it at first. Still, because I use photography as a relaxation tool alongside my work, I wanted the viewer to experience the same ease, balance, and relaxation I sometimes do when I wander for photography and just observe my surroundings. So through these photographs, I want to give a viewer a bridge to the same feelings I get to experience when capturing them.
Them Frames: Looking at the images is relaxing; what emotional and mental response did you get while making the photographs?
Dino Kužnik: Photography puts me at ease whenever I wander and take photos just for myself and the pleasure of it. So these particular emotions ooze through the photographs, or so I'd like to think. But I am happy that you say they are relaxing - so they do have the effects I want them to have.
Them Frames: Minimal photography isn't easy, and sending a message with less takes skill. What do you feel are the necessary components of an excellent minimal photograph?
Dino Kužnik: Well, I generally like striking, visually impressive photographs, but I value a series of photographs a lot more than a single image. A single photograph can be visually impressive to look at. Still, if placed in a series of photographs with a compelling narrative that leaves a particular mark on the viewer, that can elevate that photograph so much higher.
But in regards to making visually impressive minimal photographs, I think a strong sense of compositional understanding is key here, like knowing how to utilize negative space and where to place objects, alongside the technical knowledge, of course. But again, I think this is all secondary.
Them Frames: Which photograph from the series is your personal favorite? Tell us why…
Dino Kužnik: I never like choosing favorites, and as a matter of fact I do not have favorites in this particular series, to be honest. I would say that the act of capturing the images, emotions, and memories I experienced while doing so is something that is my favorite thing to do. I hope that answers the question.
Them Frames: The images only seem to have light edits. Is this your usual approach to editing? And why does your process work for you?
Dino Kužnik: In general, 80% of my photography is made on medium format film, and even when I shoot digitally, I edit the photos to resemble my film exposures - and most of the time, you can't really tell them apart if you do not pixel peep. So my film exposures are edited very minimally. I tend to overexpose my film a bit to get the desired colors, so a lot of the work is already done in camera, but I do sometimes correct the perspective a bit, adjust the colors, contrast, etc. to get the look I desire.
Them Frames: Let's discuss 05 Dino Kuznik. It's your 5th photo book, right? What can people expect from this particular body of work?
Dino Kužnik: The 05 Dino Kuznik is a zine we made with Setanta Books. It was part of their bi-monthly releases of up-and-coming photographers. They just released the 12th edition recently.
It is my fourth solo publication, but in the succession of how many publications my photos have been in, I would say it's in the 20s about now (you can see all publications here). We worked with Setanta, and they published it under their banner. At the time of writing, only copies in combination with the prints are still available for purchase on the link provided: Buy O5 Dino Kužnik.
Them Frames: How is your relationship with your publisher? And For those thinking about making a photo book, what are the signs of a good publisher?
Dino Kužnik: We have a good relationship with Setanta. But Arnaud Montagard (my business partner and fantastic photographer) and I are launching our own independent publishing house called Aliens in Residence later this year. Our first publication will be Leah Frances - Launch Poems - you might know her better as American Squares on Instagram.
We are super excited about publishing her new book and will share new information in the coming months. If you want to follow along to get the inside scoop and be notified of any new potential releases, you can subscribe to our emailing list here.
Regarding what a good publisher is, I think it’s people who put the quality of the product and the visibility of the artist they publish over profit. In reality, a profit is needed if you want to run and expand the business, but without the artist's exploitation. Our mission at AIR is to showcase young and talented artists with the mission of giving them visibility and a financial boost so they can continue their creative path, make new and improved work, and evolve their craft.
We’ll see how our first drop will go, but we already have plans for three more publications after this one, with expansion into other art forms, not just photography. The vision is there, so keep your fingers crossed everything goes in the right direction.
Them Frames: Do you have any current projects you're working on that you can tell us about?
Dino Kužnik: I am working on a few new series and some other things, but it's too early to talk about that. So whenever it is ready, I'll happily talk more. As mentioned earlier, my main focus right now is our publishing house, AIR.
Them Frames: And finally, please finish the sentence: I practice photography because…
Dino Kužnik: ... it gives me purpose and satisfaction and serves as my psychiatrist.
You can enjoy more work by Dino Kužnik by visiting his website, Instagram and Twitter.
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