Aquarius and Pisces - an Interview with Jay Krakower

Make it stand out

I can’t remember how I first came across Jay’s instagram, but I remember being completely obsessed with her as soon as I started following. When Jay messaged me saying she was coming to London, I knew we had to shoot together. These images originally were going to be published alongside our IGTV horoscope tutorial series, however the cloud decided to take those videos from us forever </3

But on their own, these pictures represent such a fun day. Pre-isolation (which I've now been in for two weeks), meeting Jay felt like meeting someone I’d known forever. Her art is one of the first in a while that has truly resonated with me; from her personal paintings to her plush, lumpy dolls. While our beauty editor Mona Leanne painted Jay’s face as Aquarius and Pisces astrological signs, we ate pizza, chatted shit about how fat women are treated, and all made each other fall over laughing for no other reason than a ridiculous look. 

Who are you, and what do you do? 

My name is Jay Krakower, I’m a 19-year-old artist and model from Toronto but currently living in Montreal. I have six rats that love to sleep in my sleeves. 

What star sign are you, and what do you think of astrology and horoscopes? Do you believe them, or are they bogus?

I am Sagittarius which I was told by my friends, and they told me what it meant to be Sagittarius and I felt called out, so that was interesting. I didn’t think I would relate to it as much as I did. I think they are super cool but I don’t know that much about them so I’m not sure!

___STEADY_PAYWALL___

Aquarius

You’re studying fine art at the moment, what type of work do you make, and why is art such an important tool for communicating? 

I am! I’m multidisciplinary so I work across many mediums. Usually my work is based in painting or drawing and fibre works. I create works depicting myself to work through my own personal problems, thoughts of myself, and the spaces I’m in or have been in in the past. It’s effective for me because it gives me the opportunity to see myself from a different perspective. I get to know my body and my views on my body by painting or depicting myself from typically “unflattering” angles or from ones I just don’t usually see which allows me to work through preconceived ideas I had of my body. By showing this, people are confronted with their views on fat bodies and are forced to question them in a semi-confrontational way. 

Pisces

Alongside art, you’re also a model. How does it feel to break into the industry as a plus size person, what do you wish would change about the fashion industry, and how can skinny people be better allies to fat people?

I do model as well. It’s interesting to see people’s reaction to a far person being visible and heard. I wish that I’m making clothing for fat people wasn’t portrayed or seen as a fad. I think skinny people could be better allies by being aware of their thoughts and actions. I have people that come up to me and just tell me their experience with their body and food assuming I have the same issues as them due to my body size. Being constantly bombarded by skinny people telling me all the ways they are trying to not get fat... aka look like me, is also detrimental to my health. I also think letting fat friends talk about their experience without argument from someone who’s never experienced those things that the fat person is going through with active listening could be a big step in the right direction. We all have a whole lot to work on. 

Jay Krakower is a model and artist. Find her on Instagram.

Words: Ione Gamble | Photos: Jender Anomie