Harris Syn

Name, what do you do?
Harris Syn, film director/photographer. And everything in between.

Describe your style in three words?
On the rocks. Shaken, not stirred.

What does the Fred Perry Shirt mean to you?
To me, it represents a timeless youth. Being young (at heart) and free to go for what you want. To ignore the noise around you. And stay true to your own voice.

When did you first dabble in the Visual Art field?
I used to work as a visual merchandiser in a retail fashion company. And damn, it bore me to the bones! I turned to what I enjoy doing as a hobby - photography. And I decided to take things to another level. One thing lead to another, with added movement and a pinch of passion - voila! Here I am today, a film director. Who would have guessed what life handed me on my plate?

What inspires your work?
I carry an empty glass wherever I go. Such as walking my dogs, meeting people, eating food, going to places, listening to music and so on. The simplest and mundane things of my daily life can trigger that bulb to light, creatively speaking.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
I'm definitely influenced by almost everything, my Dad used to play a lot of The Beatles and Rolling Stones when I was growing up. And when I was in high school, MTV was my daily music education. I flipped through a lot of hip-hop and it even got me to become a b-boy LOL. And then came the punk-era during my puberty days. Punk taught me to love music by teaching me to hate it. It can burn bridges and join hearts at the same time.

Best song to end an all-nighter?
'At the River' by Groove Armada.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Alex Webb, one of the street photographers that I look up to. A master of light, colour, geometry and complex enigmatic moments. I’d like to sit with him in one of his legendary locations in Mexico while sharing tacos.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Michael Jackson. He taught me to moonwalk on Earth!

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Sewu Kuto by Didi Kempot. It’s what my mom used to put on while she was cleaning around the house back when I was a kid. The song grew with me.