Artist statement
Updated: Jul 25, 2022
My name is Michael Cooper on Oct 5th 2015 at 6:35 AM on my way to work on a bike in the pouring rain. The unexpected happen I got hit by a car. It was quick brief and yes it's just like they say it's as if you're seeing everything in slow motion, with adrenaline pumping through my veins between me and the car. Was my bike and if it wasn't in between the wheel and me dragging my bike and myself down the street surely my head would have been crushed.
This was my turning point where I started thinking about life a lot more deeply. I didn't want to do the same work that was meaningless. I wasn't ok with the idea of doing so much for so little and have nothing to show for it. It was like I started seeing what really mattered to me and it took a life or death experience to become the person I am today. There were a lot of times where I tried to please or conform to other peoples plans. I thought I had an obligation to them.
An obligation to what I should be grateful for. But this was just a story that they told me to play around in their "house" and go by their rules. Even people I've had very close to myself exercised this entitled right they believed they should have over me.
2016 I started photography it was street photography I went out and was shooting just for the sake of shooting. I met a lot of people frankly I started to study people. I got very connected to the back and forth and the process of showing someone the final image. That's when I stepped into portraiture. I believe I do dramatic and stoic photography because I had my moment where I said No it was a dark place for me. Why is it in our darkest moments in life we make the dramatic change to become a better person? I'm not going to devalue who I am to work for someone else's dream. I started to value my life more than ever. I started to value the moments I've had with other people who shared my beliefs. I admire people who value themselves, are confident of who they are and don't settle for less. These are usually the same type of people that had a turning point in their lives as well. We all matter and if I can show that person how much I believe they really are I feel like I've accomplished something great.
I want to show great people how great they are, I want to emphasize the importance of self worth. We may fail and fall a lot in life but we can adapt and learn from our mistakes that's our strength and within my journey through photography. I know I'm doing just that. I chose the artist name Myva to become a different person. It's the person I like best, because I decided who I am.
I've made a visual to give you a better understanding of who I am.