Julia Tarantino
Artist Statement Week 1
I often think that I’m too young to understand my own art. I feel as though what am making will make more sense to me when I’m older; right now I don’t have nearly enough wisdom or experience to fully comprehend my own work nor do I have my own unique style yet. Despite this I often get told my photographs are “timeless,” which is something I’ve been reflecting on recently. I feel as though this concept of creating timeless works corresponds to the idea that modern photography is not only weak and mass produced but also lacks a sense of surreal storytelling; what I mean is that I am more fascinated with history and the eras of the past than I am with the present. I want my photographs to transport the viewer into a world that allows them to escape from present day reality- the viewer should be able to craft their only little world and immerse themselves in it from looking at my photographs. I thoroughly enjoy animated films and how they can sculpt a beautiful world from imagination, which is essentially what I try to achieve with my work. Photography to me was always an escape from the boring and often time harsh realities of this world, which is why I hold it so dearly in my heart. It means so much to me; not only is it a way to document my feelings and experiences but it also enables me to connect with people in a way that doesn’t require human engagement. While there are a multitude of reasons as to why I create I feel as though these two are the most important. In terms of who has influenced my work, most of the photographers I look up to and recognize are those who worked in the early to mid 1900s. The people who worked to get photography recognized as a true fine art, such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Berenice Abbott, etc. will always triumph over any photographer of the modern era. However I don’t think that what I create now resembles what I truly want to create. Living in New York City and attending a school that focuses on fashion has certainly changed my style. I believe that I document what is currently going on in my life and if the quirks of New York City are what I experience everyday then that is what will manifest itself into my style of work. Naturally, I love everything about New York City. I enjoy photographing subjects I’m not used to documenting and seeing how far my talents as a photographer extend.
