In this first interview of our column “The New Ones“, we have talked with Matteo Mura (aka @acherontyastyx) to let him explain his work and vision. If you want to check out the introduction article about Matteo click here.
Interview with Matteo Mura
Hi Matteo, tell me something about you
Just as I don’t like having my pictures taken, I’m not good at saying things about myself! I am finishing my studies at DAMS in Turin.
I totally understand, so let’s jump right into the main topic, when did you meet photography for the first time?
Since I was little, I always had a strong relationship with images. It became concrete two years ago when I finally bought my first analog camera in Turin. No functions, you can’t even take off the flash. Until now I’ve used it for all of my pictures, and I think it will stay with me for a lot longer.
Who are your favourite artists or influences? And why?
I don’t like to call them photographic influences, but surely what has influenced and shaped my artistic persona can be found in cinema and music. In the film direction of Francois Ozon, Pedro Almodovar, Paul Verhoeven, Asia Argento, Valeria Golino, Xavier Dolan, Lars Von Trier. In songs and David Bowie, Slowdive and Beach House’s albums. But these names are just some of the numerous things that have really influenced me over the years And that have shaped what I can maybe now define as a style.
Very nice and how do you consider yourself as a photographer?
I consider myself as an adopted photographer since I am self-taught. I know little about the technicalities of photography, I like shooting without knowing what will come out. So maybe I define myself as a non-photographer in that sense.
Photos by Matteo Mura – ©All rights reserved
I’ve noticed that your work is mainly focused on the correlation between shapes and details, why did you decided to bring out these elements in your photography?
All my works are on 35mm film, colored and sometimes expired. Shots realized without a conscious project in mind, without a set, almost out of chance, at first shot. The eye falls on the detail of a bigger picture made of colors generated without filters. The idea is to be able to look beyond: the first glance, the surface of the image, the image itself. Track down new shades and details in details themselves with the blow-up technique.
What kind of general meaning represents your style and stories?
Being shots taken without a set, without an original idea behind them, their meaning belongs to chance. I also believe that any type of artistic work that is expressed through images, not only photography, once exposed to the public loses its original meaning and acquires a new identity, a new way of being according to the eyes of the spectator. My photographs, for me, have a thousand personal meanings, extremely descendent from my life experience. But I’d like them to represent something different to every person who gets to see them.
Are you working on a new project right now? And can you tell us something about it?
Soon, around the half of June I will exhibit my old works on colored film at Paratissima, in Turin. I am finishing the direction of a short film for my dissertation (for me film direction and photography run on parallel tracks). And I’m working on a new project, a series of photographs in black and white and the model will be my maternal grandma.
Very good, it’s an amazing news. One last question: what do you think will be the future of your photography?
I don’t know if and which future attends my photography, but surely it will be in black and white.
We really thank Matteo for this interview. If you’d like to check out his profile on Instagram click here. If you liked this article, please share it and support our magazine.
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