Current Obsession, Glory of the Artifice 2015 , courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
Christto Sanz and Andrew Weir are the photography duo based in Qatar who visually translate the country’s rapid changes through their exuberant and humorous hyperreal scenarios. Hailing from Puerto Rico and South Africa, respectively, the artists blend the vintage and surreal to interpret the speedy economic growth and the formation of identity of Doha – a city where migrants form the majority of the population. “Current Obsession” is one of their latest projects featuring their vivid and colourful photographs, often with models recruited from the streets of Qatar.
In September the artist duo is presenting “Current Obsession” at Amsterdam’s Unseen Photo Fair, an international photography festival which focuses on new photography. Sleek talked to Christto & Andrew about their contribution to the fair and why their art is so universal.
We’re also offering double tickets to Unseen Photo Fair, and in order to win one, simply e-mail us with your name and address. The winners will be notified on 1 September.
What’s your thought-process when juxtaposing two seemingly contrasting ideas?
We usually first research shared ideas, but more importantly are the ensuing conversations we have which are vital in creating our images. We use a lot of colour, which is often symbolic or referential. Contrasting ideas form an important part of our work, as this highlights inconsistency and allows for the final piece to be appreciated in different ways providing multiple interpretations instead of imposing a direct thought. The work then becomes part of an ongoing discussion, instead of a single-handed approach by which the artists voice their concerns. In general we share a similar vision for our work despite not always agreeing on things, however, this dialogue is another crucial element in making work. With each project we aspire to achieve something new and innovative. In the future we would like to experiment more with our creative process and incorporate sculpture and installation work.
Birds of Paradise, Glory of the Artifice 2015, courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
Virtual Desolation, Glory of the Artifice 2015, courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
How different is it to show your work in Doha and Amsterdam?
We think of our audience as global and since we come from such different backgrounds it’s impossible for us to conceive our work in only one place. Our new series, “Glory of the Artifice” explores the use of aesthetics in a “give and take” manner, combining different ideologies that are often employed to start conversation and prompt interpretation. Our work is informed by our experiences living in the Gulf region, which is apparent, however, it has been our experience that the work resonates equally well for a foreign audience as it does back home.
We would see the main difference in how our work will be perceived in Amsterdam as opposed to Doha, in that in Amsterdam we are making more of a presentation, whereas in Doha we view exhibitions more like an ongoing dialogue and discussion.
Ordinary Miracle,Glory of the Artifice 2015, courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
Artificial Landscape, Glory of the Artifice 2015, courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
What can we expect from your contribution to Unseen?
We will be one of the few artists at Unseen Photo Fair with a “solo” presentation of our work. We have been to Unseen last year as part of the Foam Talent outdoor exhibition, but we are very excited to return with this new body of work presented by our gallery, East Wing. Being at Unseen is very inspirational and it allows audiences to see what’s next in the photographic world. We hope that our work will contribute to new dialogues and exchanges. It’s always great meeting new people and be exposed to different perspectives.
Mirror, Glory of the Artifice 2015 , courtesy of the artists and the East Wing Gallery
Unseen Photo Fair will take place at Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek, from 18 to 20 September 2015
Interview by Will Furtado
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