Life is bigger than architecture

Jerónimo Andrade

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Rather than working on something specific, I am collecting and making sense of the work I’ve done over the last few years. I’ve also been working on a piece for a Mexican “spooky” magazine on the subject of “letting go.”

For the piece, I bought a new camera, an Olympus Stylus. I was very stubborn about having a Japanese camera, so I got it, and now I take it everywhere. I ride my bike a lot, so whenever I see something in the city that catches my eye, I aim as if I were in a video game and take the shot.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
I’m aware of my progress as a self-taught writer and photographer, but I am definitely looking to improve, both technically and artistically.

Don’t think about it too much. Point and shoot.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
Frustration, a bit of anger, and lack of concentration. On the other hand, there is also enthusiasm and joy.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
What has had the greatest impact in recent months and weeks has been the accidents and coincidences of everyday life in the city, like finding a book I didn’t know I was looking for or discovering random places that are becoming my favorite spots.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
My favorite coffee shop is Jellyfish in Mexico City. I discovered it recently through a recommendation, and I go at least once a week. I like going on my own because it feels like a little oasis amid the chaos of the Roma Norte neighborhood.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
Life Is Bigger Than Architecture or Temporada de Mangos (Mango Season). The soundtrack would be a very eclectic mix of Madonna, Beyoncé, Sky Ferreira, Oklou, Princess Nokia, Belafonte Sensacional, Geese, and PinkPantheress.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I have always been passionate about surf, skate, and urban sports that interact directly with the city, so I’d like to collaborate with Wasted Talent, a publication I’ve been following for years about sports, life, and urban culture, or Huck Magazine, which also covers music, activism, and counterculture.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
Eugenio Schulz, a Mexican photographer whose superpower is finding people’s identity and enhancing it through the lens.

Juancha, a Mexican designer with the talent for finding joy and humor in everyday objects.

Denise Julieta, a Mexican artist. I find her use of color incredible, and I love the almost aquatic universes she creates, populated by amorphous creatures that seem to be missing only eyes to come fully alive.