Two women explore the natural beauty of Tulum, Mexico, in erudite photographer and musician Mark Borthwick’s dreamy short for frame makers Mykita. Refracted by a golden summer sun, the film sees both girls and landscape dissolve through shards of colored glass to a delicate guitar soundtrack composed by Borthwick. “I was blessed to be given the chance to let the image go, to create a feeling of transparency,” explains the Brooklyn-based visionary. “We were free to celebrate the joy of collaborating in the purest sense of the word.” Using amateur models, and no artificial lighting, styling or make-up enabled Borthwick to capture the ambiance of a family photo album. “Without this inspiring intimacy there would be no specific meaning to me,” he explains. Founded in 2003, Mykita's handmade, chic designs have become eyewear essentials for the fashion conscious and have featured in collaborations with the likes of Moncler and Bernhard Willhelm. To mark their eighth anniversary the company recently launched a book, Mykita 8, charting the goings-on at the brand’s Berlin workshop with Borthwick’s trademark light-soaked photographs appearing alongside contributions from illustrator Sarah Illenberger and artist Agathe Snow among others. Below Borthwick extols the mystical allure of Tulum, and explains his enduring love for analog.

How did you come to decide on a style for the film?
There was no specific concept, rather a connection between sensuality and curiosity, and a feeling of being blinded by the light. It’s the gift of losing time, liberating the senses and letting go.

How did you choose the location for the shoot?
Tulum, Mexico, is somewhere my family and I have been visiting for 18 years. It’s a place we’ve shared, and where many friends have gathered. Tulum was chosen for her light, her magnetism and her ancient people, the Mayans. Tulum is a ‘wellspring’, an eternity of sensations, turning me on.

Why is analog technology important to you?
I like to say we sing the same song. She’s the finest of listeners. Her hues move me. As an expression she’s light to touch and a vibration of one’s inner feelings entangled through time. Analog gives an air of transparency and adventure.

Which artists and filmmakers inspire your work?
All of my friends. My kids. I’m obsessed by their questions, their ideologies that lead the mind elsewhere, their changing views and their virgin eyes. They fill me with love.
 
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