Artist Statement
No other form of art evokes the duende* that photography provides. I love photography because it’s the only way to freeze time; it's the only way I can touch it, see it and feel it. Going through old pictures is like a free buffet of feelings AND Melancholy, Happiness & Sadness are the most popular/delicious dishes at this buffet...
Looking at old photographs of loved ones, gatherings, trips and self-portraits helps us appreciate life even more. I love looking at the "old" me/us/them. That "AWWW" expression melts my heart, the "OMG!" is priceless and the classic "WHAT WAS I THINKING?" always makes me laugh. I might be what kids call "old school" (omg not me accepting I'm old) but I do love ...vintage. At the core of vintage is finding treasures - when I find old prints I developed, my heart overflows with joy! . Analogue photography has a romantic characteristic that makes everything dreamy and nostalgic, and there's no more complex feeling than nostalgia. In my personal experience, photography has helped me grow in ways I didn't know it could. To love me, to accept me, to tolerate me hasn't been easy, but the art of self expression has allowed me to be content with who I am, my self-esteem to grow, and to give life more meaning. We humans are complicated but we all can learn from our younger self. When you look at an old picture of yourself, try to see more than the surface…go deeper, try to see your heart. Make yourself remember how innocent and pure you were - it will make you cringe! hahahaha jkjk well, it might but also, and more importantly, it will force you to appreciate time to the fullest, because we all are running out of it. Time never stops - hurry and enjoy it.
*the mysterious power of art to deeply move a person.
Julio Piña.