How would you define contemporary art photography?

Many things make me uncomfortable and one of them is to define things. How can you define something that is happening right now? Especially with my own photography, I don’t completely understand what I am doing until I look back to the work done. Instead I am choosing to believe in what contemporary photography has the potential to be.

I want to believe that contemporary photography is a possibility, a deconstruction to the traditional limiting ideas, the status quo and an opportunity for new visions and spaces that haven’t been explored and highlighted before, to come to life.

Photography has been generally an expensive practice, reserved for the ones that could afford a camera and the development and promotional process. Today the access to technology and knowledge from different social spheres expands the reach of the peripheries to be part of a conversation that was reserved and elitist in the past.

The dialogue is enriched with the inclusion of new perspectives and the breaking of the rules until now, known as the new language and the openness to use new techniques and styles that are according to the vernacular possibilities.

Indisputably the internet and social media have played an important role for artists that found free and effective ways to show their art. The voices that are being amplified, the spaces reclaimed by silenced artists, the wisdom of the creatives that have been forged outside the academy and much more.

This is the way I want to perceive contemporary photography, the moment in which we are redefining what we have understood as photography, the moment to create something different, to appreciate it differently.

Which themes or concepts do you explore in your art, and why do they hold significance for you?

When I started in photography and even today when people ask me what kind of photography I do, I am not sure what to answer. At the beginning I just wanted to photograph everything that I thought was beautiful and I felt an urge and a sense of responsibility to share this beauty with the world. Later during my MFA program, photography shifted from a fun craft and a way of making a living to being an art form with which I would seek answers of my own life and that would shape my artistic practice.

One of these moments originated from being part of the funeral arrangements of my mother in law a few years ago, this experience was a catalyst to explore my relationship with death. The difficult process of going through her stuff, revealed ideas, feelings and memories that made me realize that despite the pain brought by these rituals, they are incredible important for a person, specially children, in order to understand this natural life event, and to grow and cultivate an ability to let go, navigating the ache of attachment in a more healthy way. Since my childhood I have faced the passing of many close family members. Not being able to participate in their funerals left me, without realizing it at the moment, with a feeling of interruption and an unresolved mourning, that now as an adult I recognized as a great part of the sense of abandonment that surrounds me. I want to believe that diving into the past and redefining the connections and processes that as a kid I blocked or that were taken away from me will contribute for a better closure and with the tools I have at my disposal nowadays,  I can approach this inevitable part of life on my own terms.

Now after years of being a photographer whether making art or exercising the craft, I can look back and be able to recognize the themes and patterns that are present in my practice; feminism, nature, mental health, community, diversity, family and the unseen world among others are the pillars that sustain and build my current narrative and the exploration of these concepts are what is driving my journey today.

Could you elaborate on the specific techniques or processes you employ to create your art, and explain why you find them compelling?

I have always been a person that works around intuition and I don’t theorize or strategize my workflow. Good or bad I mostly work with what the idea is “calling" at that moment and I learn the specific skill required to carry out the project. Sometimes if I don’t go back to that technique I forget how to use it. In general I have been oscillating between digital and analog photography, but if I have to explain why, digital photography has been what is easier and at hand and analog photography a way for me to train my brain, my eye and overall my patience; a therapy.

I am lucky to have been part of the last analog generations and enjoyed a childhood free from the current digital world's alleged dangers. And have nostalgia and respect and at the same time I have first hand knowledge. Since I was very young, arts and crafts were part of my daily practice, my lifestyle so to speak but once I got into photography I invested myself so deeply that I gradually left the crafts aside to dedicate myself fully to taking photos. Photography felt like a new language as well as the English language that I was also learning at that time; they took my whole energy and attention.

For a while I thought these two worlds were so different from one another and somehow I felt incomplete. My love for documentary photography kept me on a very purist path and I could not see what I was missing. With time I realized that part of my own process and developing as an artist was being able to combine my worlds and create something. That was when I created Alteration States, a merge between digital photography and traditional practices like cyanotype and embroidery. This project embodied an exploration of my own body and techniques that I never expected to combine. For my latest project, “How do you want me to live, being absent from you?, where I explore my relationship with my grandmother, I got into video making. In two months I had to learn premiere pro and to be honest there was a point of panic where I regretted it. But in the end things worked out. Here I was able to learn this skill and being the main performer of the piece, bringing back old practices back from my time in Chile where I was part of an experimental performing art group.

Given your utilization of unconventional mediums in your photography, such as the "Alteration States" project, what served as the inspiration behind it?

In a nutshell, I can say that this project was inspired by light, indigenous cultures, feminist art, and my life as a woman crafter. After moving to a new apartment, my curiosity was ignited by the light projections I experienced during the day, as the sun filtered through the window blinds. On occasion, I would find these lights dancing on my skin, crafting exquisite designs reminiscent of the Selk'nam culture in South America—a culture I have admired since learning about them. I felt lucky and honored to see these designs decorating my body, and I started to plan how to document this interesting phenomenon.

To my surprise, this process was difficult. First, because I didn't see this idea captured in a better way other than being naked; being vulnerable in front of the camera is not something I have let myself experience and to be honest I have always felt more comfortable on the other side of the lens, having control. Secondly, I had a very hard time trying to sync the action of posing to capture the lights with the action of taking the photos. It's necessary to point out that the project was created during the pandemic, so photographing another person was not an option.

This led me to contemplate: Is this not akin to the lifelong experience of women? The perpetual effort to conform to the circumstances we confront. We mold our bodies to appease the world, adjust our attire and demeanor to shield ourselves, among other adaptations. I resolved to present these struggles alongside the beauty they encompass, devoid of idealization.

That's when the thought came to me: Isn’t this how women have experienced life since we can remember? Always trying so hard to adapt ourselves to the situations we are confronting. We change our bodies to please the world, adjust our attire and demeanor to shield ourselves, among other adaptations. I decided I wanted to showcase these struggles with the beauty they entail, without romanticizing the idea.

The decision to use cyanotypes came as I learned that the first photo book was made by a botanical photographer named Anna Atkins. Using a photographic process brought to life by a woman was a continuation of her work with a contemporaneous gaze.As a final touch, the use of embroidery comes from a long-held desire I wanted to carry out. Mixing techniques was something that was at the back of my mind, and I felt that these images were waiting for me to intervene. My handwriting is not good, and recently I have gained experience embroidering with a group of activist women in an online setting. These women were practicing an art called arpilleras, which in Chile were an important form of expression for women oppressed during the military coup in the 70s. Arts and crafts have been, for me and countless women, a way of creating community—a skill you learn not to be the best, but to be with others, to find support and healing. I wanted to honor this part of my life and what these folk practices bring to women. So, I think the overall inspiration behind "Alteration States" came from a combination of scenarios that wove together my life story, upbringing, and the way I was seeing things as a woman at the time.

What challenges did you encounter during the process of creating the project?

I have painfully noticed throughout my life that when it comes to creating an intentional body of work, I need to take the leap of faith and see if things work out along the way. If I expect to have every single thing figured out beforehand, I will freeze and not start anything.

In the case of "Alteration States," I confronted a series of challenges, both realistic and unrealistic, but this time things developed rather differently. As I mentioned earlier, the project began with an exploration of the light entering my rooms and how it interacted with my body. The first challenge arose when I realized how difficult it was to document this. Trying to synchronize the lights on my body with the camera's timer proved harder than I had thought, often leading me to contort into weird and uncomfortable poses in pursuit of a captivating "light painting." My body would ache at times after many attempts.

Another challenge was deeply emotional and revolved around presenting my body in its naked form. I've never been inclined to depict nude bodies; in other words, I never had a compelling reason that would motivate me to do so. However, considering the minimalistic essence of the lights I wanted to capture and the inspiration behind the project, it felt like the natural path to follow—to allow them to be displayed on bare skin. It was tough to see myself like that without the urge to hide or edit, without being overly critical. Yet, I tried to detach from the image of myself and perceive my body as a tool or medium. One of the ways I achieved that was through the process of converting the original photos into negatives and then transforming them into cyanotypes. Over time, the image of my body slowly evolved into its own entity—not truly me, but rather a vital canvas through which I needed to convey a message.

The other challenges were more technical and practical, such as not knowing which paper was ideal for the project or the best time of day for optimal prints. Subsequently, I had to contend with the paper's quality during the embroidery phase. Because I opted for very thick paper, I had to exert significant force with the needle while stitching, which resulted in sore fingertips and occasional neck pain. However, as a seasoned crafter, I am accustomed to these challenges. We navigate through them; they are an integral part of us and our art.

How do you perceive the impact of digital technology on contemporary art photography, and has it had an influence on your creative process?

I often find myself sticking to familiar ways of doing things without realizing there might be simpler or better alternatives. Digital technology isn't the defining aspect of my work but I understand the practical benefits of technology and don't oppose it; in fact I use it a lot and it's hard to envision my life without a computer or smartphone nowadays even though they have become consuming tools. Thus I acknowledge that digital technology plays a significant role in many artists' entire creative process. It's impressive how they embrace new ways of thinking and creating; making it more than a tool, their art form.                                 

It would be naive to deny the advantages of using digital technology; the acceleration of the processes and the way it can simplify certain tasks for sure. Yet, I sometimes wonder why things need to be faster or easier. Just as we wouldn't have progressed without the invention of the hammer, digital technology has become photography's equivalent—a tool that aids us without feeling like we are cheating. However, in the realm of art, subjectivity allows us to use any kind of medium and processes and now that means things don’t necessarily have to follow the pace of the new technologies. Some of my work, as you can see, explores other mediums. "Alteration States," for instance, combines various techniques, like digital and analog photography, and embroidery. I feel blessed having the freedom to express in the way I flow as an artist. Gradually, my work is finding a place to thrive—a realm of exploration that extends beyond the digital domain, therefore a process that can take the time without deadlines.   

Another aspect that I celebrate is the duo formed by digital technologies with the internet. This pair indisputably opened the door to people that in the past did not have access to art education or practice. With new things comes good and bad, but I am happy that the possibilities are there. That's why I can't leave out of the conversation the impact that NFT’s and artificial intelligence are having on our art ecosystem. Although I don’t want to dismiss them, I haven’t explored them within my own work. Maybe part of me is a little resistant or afraid. That's why perhaps in the near future I will venture myself on a very technological journey, pushing my own boundaries and discovering new languages for art expression.

Are there any specific contemporary art movements or artists that have influenced your work?

This question has been the most difficult to answer, not because I don’t have one but because there are so many incredible artists that have inspired me and crossed my life that I don't know how it would be possible to compact them all in just a few paragraphs. I will name a few that definitely molded my way of appreciating and practicing the world of art and photography as a whole.

I have to admit that one of the first photographers that made me want to be one was Henri Cartier-Bresson. Even though I don’t think I have ever photographed in his way, I have great admiration and I found pleasure in looking at his images, the stories behind the elegance and nostalgia, the fantasy of imagining how long it took for him to get the image etc.

Within the documentary style I was so impressed reading about Lynsey Addario and her experience in the male dominated photography world. We don’t get to know much of the intimacy of photographers' lives so this book was a little bit of a push for me to be someone that would open the doors for other women too. Although my reality is very different from Addario’s, she is definitely a female referent. Nowadays my favorite documentary photographer is Hannah Reyes Morales, her art and her community work is something that I admire and aspire to. Ai Weiwei and Vik Muniz are huge and established artists, but the way they have implemented and integrated social work and activism, is what motivates me and affirms that the power of art can have an incredible positive impact in people’s lives if they are given the opportunity to learn it and experience it. They both have used their resources to involve communities to carry out their projects and used their privilege to extend on their own way this to underserved people. I want to believe these actions ignited the spark of someone to whom art was a distant idea.

Francesca Woodman, Ren Hang and Nan Goldin had shown me the power of vulnerability. They have confronted me with my biggest fear in photography that is exposing myself and talking about my own life. Literally and figuratively showing your naked body and your naked soul as response to pain and definitely opened the door for me to explore photography from a place of surrender.

The story of Vivian Maier is so curious because despite the mainstream way on how she became famous, proved and reinforced that photography is more than a printed or visual image. Photography can be interpreted as a way of seeing, a way of appreciating, lifestyle and therapy tool. We will never know her true intentions but in a male dominated field she developed a craft under the radar and eye with indisputable passion and transcended in her own way, oblivious to the pressure of fame. I admire that.

Pipilotti Rist, made me want to have her decades of career in a few months. I was so amazed by her art that I attempted to learn video editing software in a month for my thesis project. I somehow managed to create something I was happy with considering the circumstances but the infinite possibilities offered by Pipilotti’s work would forever change my way of seeing and wanting to do photography. I guess Björk planted this seed many years ago, although from a music world her ability to navigate other art forms has been something that amazes me and that in a way gives me a sense of relief when it comes to creating or being open to create.

I started this selection with a master in the B&W photography style and I want to close with a full circle mentioning another one, even though I rarely photograph in B&W. Graciela Iturbide relates to her environment with a sensibility that goes beyond the physical world. The consideration of aspects that escape what we see or can touch are so latent in her work that provokes and moves me. She can make a common situation a moment so hard to recreate and find, like if what we see we actually dreamed or imagined. This is definitely something that I have always wanted to explore and lately I’ve been trying to incorporate it.

And to finalize I just want to say that there are so many artists that are local, unknown, under the radar and folk that have left something ingrained in me that without realizing I am putting some of their art or influence on my own.

What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your photography?

My photography isn't about pursuing a specific subject, mastering skills, owning top-of-the-line equipment or inducing certain results; rather, I create what is on my mind at the moment. If my art can provoke any reactions, it's an extra special thing that I dearly treasure. However when people view my art, I hope they perceive it beyond the aesthetics. I want my work to transport them to both the external world and their inner selves. I don’t even expect them to know more about me but I wish for them to question the world and their own lives. 

For many years, I believed that photography wasn't meant for someone like me. Growing up as a Latin American middle-class girl in a single-parent household, my world rarely touched upon the aspirations typically reserved for the wealthy or the opportunities in male-dominated fields like photography.  But with great effort things began to change and today I have had the privilege to do what I dreamed once. The journey has ingrained in me a sense of responsibility—to extend this opportunity to others who have shared or still share my same doubts. I want to promote that photography and invite people from different types of communities to engage with this art form. I hope we can deconstruct the power dynamics that are often found in the world of photography and create a more transversal and inclusive practice.

Throughout my life, photography has transcended its fundamental form of owning a camera; it has become a concept that provides an avenue for communication, appreciation, and the preservation of moments even if this doesn’t take a tangible form. I recall a time before I could afford a camera when I would mentally frame and envision the photos I longed to capture. I dreamed about sharing how I perceived the world around me and even though there was a sense of frustration for not having the tools to document, I think I was able to understand the value of photography beyond this. 

Furthermore, I wish to inspire others in ways I can’t even imagine. I want people to believe that they, too, can pursue photography and appreciate it as an art form and a healing source rather than viewing it solely as a skillful craft or a way to gain popularity though likes. I hope viewers can take my work as an inspiration to transform what I am presenting and create their own stories. I want to open a portal for dreaming, spark thought processes and challenge their realities.

Are there any recent or upcoming projects that you are excited about?

A year ago I finished my master’s thesis in photography and I am still emotionally processing that experience. The subject that I addressed was something I wanted to talk about since as long as I can remember; probably I was around 6 years old when my great- grandmother shared a story that made such an impact on me and that I treasured dearly, especially because I don’t have any physical memories of her. I even remember having made a drawing about the story at that time that of course is now lost.

Even though the project  started as an exploration of a distant memory, it brought up a series of themes and experiences that were worth delving into. The project is called: How do you want me to live, being absent from you? and it brings to life the interpretation of a folk tale told by my great-grandmother that she was able to somehow confirm as real.

Within the genre of magical realism, the existence of witches was casually accepted in rural Chile. My great-grandmother trespassed the laws that divide the real world with the occult and put dog tears on her eyes that, according to the folk tale, would allow her to see things that humans couldn’t. Me as a little girl hearing this for the first time kept me hooked to the idea of the dog's tears, the fear and the tenacious attitude of this child. As an adult now I look at this narrative and I feel anxious about knowing who were these beings that my great-grandmother saw in the mountains when she poured the dog tears in her eyes, and drives me to explore the concept of the socially misunderstood “witch”, with another approach that appreciates her as an empowered, independent and creative free woman. The ultimate feminist.

I am excited about this project and I want to continue it because although it was the end of the circle, it opened many other conceptual possibilities. The precious anecdote between two generations sparked the exploration of themes like, womanhood, feminism, coming of age, generational trauma, loss of innocence, the unseen world, rituals, grief and connection with animals, nature and my own history and identity.

During the making of the project I felt I was reclaiming a time of my life that always felt like a part of a dream, tale or not really my own life. In my young years I would fantasize about making a movie or writing a book but I would have never imagined I would bring to life the story through photographs and video. The fact that now is something that has a space in the real world out of my mind it feels like I'm letting others inhabit this special secret that I shared with my great grandmother. But despite the very personal nature of this project, there is a huge space for interpretation and for a diverse range of people to relate to it.