Chris was photographed exclusively for MODELS.com by César Buitrago, with styling by Brandon Salazar Tan, and grooming by Chika Keisuke. Interview by Jonathan Shia.

interview

Name:
Christopher Araya-Colvin or Chris Colvin for short

Agency:
Soul Artist Management (New York), Select Model Management Paris, Special Management (Milan), Kult London, Kult Hamburg

Age:
22

Height:
6’2”

Place of Origin:
Long Island, NY

Ethnic Origin:
1/2 Chilean 1/2 Irish

Birthsign:
Capricorn

Instagram:
@st.chriiis

How discovered:
I was scouted at a coffee shop on St.Mark’s by Arri Taylor. He took some pictures of me and I didn’t think anything of it. I never thought about modeling before. 30 min later he called me and told me to go home and get fly to meet with my first agency.

Best modeling experience so far?
Either the Bottega Veneta “Salon 3” with Daniel Lee & Matthieu Blazey or the Coca-Cola “Real Magic” Campaign with Guy Aroch & Anna Palma.
The Bottega show was surreal. It was my first show walking. Everyone from the team to the models was so down to earth. The venue Michigan theatre, an abandoned opera house turned decaying car lot, set a crazy vibe and we brought the energy to that space. The Coca-Cola campaign was just a really good time. We were playing soccer, faking video games, dancing, and spraying each other with soda. At one point, I had a go-pro strapped to my chest and I was tasked with spraying the other models with ice-cold water. The entire team was really creative and we had so much room to experiment with photo and video ideas. Both experiences were invaluable. Getting to work with people who are the best at what they do was such an honor and I made friends that I have to this day.

Currently you’re obsessed with/about:
Being grateful. I feel blessed by all of the things I’ve gone through both “good and bad.” I’m focused on making the most of my time here. I aim to continue to learn and become a more whole, loving individual. One of my life goals is to be a happy old man.

What is something you’ve always wanted to do/try?
Since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to buy my Mom a house on the beach. She deserves it. I want to live in Chile for some time. I have family there and it’s the only place in the world that you can go snowboarding and to the beach on the same day. I’m thinking about tattooing a sun with a face on the back of my head with its eyes closed. When I reach my peak form, I can tattoo its eyes open. I’m not sure how my mom would feel about that.

You recently started releasing music. How did you get started? How would you describe your sound and who are your inspirations?
I’ve been playing saxophone since I was about 13 and picked up guitar and keys. My inspiration ranges from Nirvana, Gojira, Aphex Twins, D&B music, NYC drill, to Buena Vista Social Club. I’m mostly inspired by the people I make music with. I wouldn’t describe my sound. I have songs that sound like completely different artists and there’s so much music I have yet to release.

Your aunt, Marie Colvin, was a celebrated war correspondent who was killed by the Syrian government while reporting on the siege of Homs and you have been working with her foundation. What work are you doing there and what change do you hope to make? Why is this cause important to you?
The work I’ve done for the foundation has been a source of catharsis. I’ve been helping in all aspects from developing fundraising ideas, website design, and helping decide where we’re allocating resources to help those in need. The change we hope to make with the foundation is similar to the change my aunt hoped to make with her reporting. It’s really about sharing the human cost of war and telling the stories of these people in hopes that someone may care enough to help. We focus on providing support to humanitarian causes, providing aid to refugees, and other victims of war. My aunt was such an inspiration to young journalists across the world, so we helped found the Stony Brook Marie Colvin Center of International Reporting to foster this next generation of journalists. I feel it’s important to remember that these conflicts are more than politics and numbers. It’s too easy to see these atrocities with a level of detachment and not internalizing that these are real people having their lives destroyed.

How do you want to make an impact in the world?
I would like people to remember that we are all connected to each other and the world around us. Nothing happens in a vacuum. We are constantly changing the world in all of our thoughts and actions.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
My Grandma said, “Be passionate and be involved in what you believe in, and do it as thoroughly and honestly and fearlessly as you can.” I think those are good words to live by.