Besides her talent as a photographer, Brazilian creative Carolina Mizrahi also holds the title of art director and stylist. Her photography series provide endless food for thought.
To solve our questions around her unique point of view, we had to have a conversation with Mizrahi about her work.
Trendland: You have a background in fashion design. How have your studies in this field added to your work as a professional photographer?
Carolina Mizrahi: I believe my experience as a fashion designer has added to my work a strong sense of composition, color palette, styling and art direction. I mean, the research behind each collection made me engage with a lot of theory and visual references that has directed my work to the way it is now.
TL: As you’ve stated, you are fluent in English, Spanish and “color”; a fact that is immediately obvious throughout your body of work. In what ways does your love for vibrant colors communicates your message as a photographer?
CM: The “color” is one more tool which I use to send my message. I use it to drive the viewer’s attention in or out from specific image details or either to create the “feel” of the story. I am currently working on a project where I am investigating how to marry color and meaning in order to create ambiguous messages.
TL: In your series, Mirror, you created a social dialogue about the way women are portrayed and perceived nowadays, and how that reflects on their self value. How do you think photography can turn this around?
CM: I guess a way to turn it around could be becoming visually more inclusive. Portraying women (I am talking about women, but men are also suffering the consequences of this unreal media representation) the way they are, including more black models, less photoshop…more reality. I believe this would twist our current unachievable sense of beauty and take a lot of pressure from our back. Although, photography is just one little piece on the media system which is mainly moved by capitalist interests.
TL: Surrealism is a siganture element in your work. What else inspires you?
CM: My work is basically a puzzle of a lot of different sources of inspiration. I take a lot of inspiration from Theory books, contemporary / fine arts and illustration. Afterwords, I always try to find a way to twist it according to my own experiences and background.
TL: Tell us a few words about your future plans
CM: I am currently working on a new project, where I want to explore color meaning and gender on Western Society. Nonetheless, I am planning to take more commissions as a stylist, I like to create a story and co-ordinate all it’s details and styling allows me to do it on a bigger scale, I guess.
For more information, visit: www.carolinamizrahi.com
