A better ending

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’m currently recovering from ankle surgery, which keeps me from walking. I’ve been in this situation since August, dealing with pain and rehabilitation sessions. After the surgery, I created very little but worked a lot. The last thing I photographed was a reconnection with nature, my friends, and returning to medium format, which I hadn’t used in many years. Overall, most of what I made this past year were everyday portraits, objects, places, and situations. A personal archive of my own life.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
I realized that I still have a lot to learn, that my vision —or my “eye”— is constantly changing, and that I can always improve it, destroy it, or do whatever I want with it, because I believe that’s what art is about. I also learned to detach myself from results and to prioritize the process. I experimented with cameras I had never used before and allowed myself to take my time with each photograph. At the same time, I also took photos spontaneously, just to capture a specific moment. I like this duality of photography: it can be carefully planned or completely random, depending on what you want.

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
I think of these photographs as mental notes, capturing the light of that day, what I glimpsed through the window, and memories I can’t fully name. Emotionally, I felt a mix of sadness, frustration, some indifference, and also nostalgia.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
I thought a lot about this poem by María Gainza:

POMEGRANATE

I save for myself
a better ending.
I want my body
to open like a pomegranate
ripe in summer
and its seeds
to scatter
over the earth.
I don’t want to consume myself
slowly,
like a candle.

I don’t remember how this book came to me, but each poem from "Un imperio por otro" resonates deeply with me. I don’t know why I wasn’t born with the gift of expressing the thoughts that pass through my mind, but I’m grateful there are people who can.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
Lately, my biggest issue has been my phone and social media. Even though I find a lot of inspiration there, it had become a problem I didn’t want to admit. I’ve already taken steps to reduce my screen time, and in doing so I’ve gained space to think, read, and create. Focusing on a single thing has been harder, but limiting my consumption of content has helped me reconnect with my creativity. I’ve been reminded that boredom is one of the main drivers of creation.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
That’s a tough one. I like almost everything, but right now I’m craving a slice of the “Bianca” pizza from Estridente.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
I think the title would be I save for myself a better ending. I would love for Bruno Pernadas and Ivania (a local artist) to create the soundtrack.

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.

Reyna Barragan is an incredible photographer whose work I deeply admire. Lately, she’s been experimenting with different formats, and her intimate collages inspire me greatly. 

Valeria Santana has a beautiful sensitivity when photographing people, landscapes, and objects. I’m fascinated by her use of natural light and the sense of nostalgia her photographs evoke.