Check Out Josephine Koch’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josephine Koch.

Hi Josephine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Hello, my name is Josie and I am 23 and originally from the pits of North Philadelphia. I am based in Denver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Takoma Park wherever my art takes me.

I am a traveling, one-man “show”. I am a classically trained artist, was a tattoo apprentice from age 15 and I worked for someone who was on the Black Ink Crew TV show. If interested in receiving a hand-drawn tattoo flash, DM me at @jsxqnn. Another fun fact is I am a black belt in MMA kenpo and kickboxing to name a few and was trained by a very strong woman who I admire named Karianne who won the Golden Gloves in 2008, I believe martial arts are just as important as the others because it teaches the indomitable spirit and discipline necessary for all other creative skills.

On another topic, I am a fashion designer sometimes. I run an original clothing brand called Acid Store that sells vaporwave and internet aesthetic clothing. Before that, my work was featured in a 100% sustainable, upcycled runway show in which I helped create multiple outfits and walked down the runway, but was known as “Josephine Kovach” for the show due to my age. It was due to my school, Frankford Friends as well, that we were able to raise a lot of money from this show to my understanding for aids vaccines. It was in 2013. I am a musician, I play cello, guitar, piano, the glockenspiel, ukelele, and handbells! I am also a vaporwave/breakcore artist with an album on Spotify called “Degenerate,” available on Spotify under the artist name “Acid Baby”.

It is “degenerate”, but misspelled. I am a published author, including a short story, “The Way the Tissue Rips,” I self-published a 54? Page poetry chapbook called “The Book”, (available for sale on Lulu.com). I have done a lot of public speaking, including but not limited to, at the Glenn Ford Society in Pennsylvania reading a slam poem named aptly “I am”. I am also a film festival nominated experimental arthouse abstracted guerilla filmmaker of the film “Chaos Theory”, a short film about how it feels to experience a schizoaffective breakdown is now available in a series amongst other talented filmmakers making movies for social change for $12 on Vimeo. However, my director roots started with a short film I made in middle school called, “Rumors”, with a soundtrack by the time-popular emo band The Light Years, which can be found on YouTube.

It is a movie about a child being bullied at a Quaker school for having a father who is in military service, and how the situation resolves itself. Speaking of media, I have an open-source ARG/IRL stream/performance art project on Instagram called @acidbaby.jpg, a commentary on the vapidness of social media, SEO, and the commodification in a capitalist society of mental health. I am also an adult entertainer trying to push the actual boundaries of what is art and adult entertainment and have an upcoming book by a famous photographer that is to be potentially titled my nickname, “Josie” I was an exotic dancer in one of the largest clubs in Philadelphia at the time named “Daydreams” and consider dance an important form of expression as well.

I am trained originally in hip hop and samba. I currently have an only fan where I’m making mostly artistic adult films with many great collaborators. All videos are made and edited by me for the most part. So, I guess I do a little bit of everything! Oh, and I mainly do fine art and photography, both available for commission.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The obstacles have been digging into my psyche and trauma to help create everything from popup fashion shows to my film – to create visceral experiences accessible to the general public and things we all can enjoy.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am known for post-ironic tattoo-style flash, vaporwave-style clothing/digital art, filmmaking, martial arts, adult entertainment, dancing and generally being a weird artist.

How do you define success?
Success is when you feel satisfied with the progress you’ve made not only in your life but your decision-making, education, and morals.

Pricing:

• Tattoo Flash $250+
• Chaos Theory(film) $12
• AcidStore Clothes (avail upon request)
• Subscription $15+
• Any form of art: (avail upon request)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/jsxqnn
• Facebook: facebook.com/josiequinn

Image Credits
Aaron McElroy and Josephine Koch