Interview: Abi Polinsky
Luca Curci talks with Abi Polinsky during the 16th Edition of VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2022, at Palazzo Bembo.

Abi Polinsky is a photographer and visual artist based in NYC. Strongly inspired by surrealist European art between 1950 and 1980, as well as fashion photography between the 1980s and 2000s, he uses out-of-the-box set design, color processing, and lighting to create distinct portraiture, commercial work, and installations. Polinsky strives to create images that grab the viewer immediately and become even more pleasing to look at with time.

Luca Curci – How did you get into photography? Do you remember why you took your first professional photo?
Abi Polinsky – I have always loved cinema, and I thought I wanted to work in that industry. But I started taking photographs as a hobby while working in film and fell in love with it much faster. I also realized I was much better at photography than cinema. My first professional photo was for a fashion campaign a few months after I moved to New York. I remember being extremely nervous and excited, now that feels like it was 100 years ago.

LC – According to you, what makes a good photo? Which details do you focus on?
AP – A good photo, to me, is one that holds someone’s attention. It doesn’t always have to be visually perfect, but in today’s world where people tend to only look at an image for less than a second, I think anything that can actually stand out and grab people’s attention is a success. Personally, my eyes usually start with the colors in a photo, and I’m always looking for new combinations or new ways to use color.

LC – Which is the role the artist plays in society? And contemporary art?
AP – I think artists play many roles, but one that I relate to most is to create a source of escapism for the artist, and also for the audience. My work comes from within my mind, and it is a way for me to escape into my subconscious. My hope is that when an audience sees these photographs, they can use them to escape from reality too. I think within contemporary art, the artist’s role is to push art forward and keep things fresh. It’s important to find new ways to approach old topics, or create new topics altogether.

LC – What is the most challenging part about creating your artworks?
AP – The most challenging part about creating my work is taking the imagery I see in my head and creating it in real life. My process is usually: I see an image clearly in my mind, then I need to replicate it as closely as possible in real life, no matter how surreal, and then photograph that reality in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and up to my standards. The photography part is often the easiest – but creating something surreal in real life is quite a challenge.

LC – How do you feel when you see your work completed?
AP – When my work is completed, I am already thinking about the next project. I feel a small amount of satisfaction after completing a work, but generally I have either already started the next project, or am excited to start it the next day. I know many artists share this process, and I think it means that I am passionate about what I am doing. I never get bored, and I never slow down.

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of preexisting works?
AP – This artwork (“Failure”) was part of a grouping of work I created in the fall of 2022, strongly inspired by Thomas Hart Benton’s mural “America Today.”

LC – Do you agree with our vision of art and what do you think about the theme of the exhibition?
AP – I agree with the vision and theme of this exhibition, and I think both parts (Liquid Rooms + Future Landscapes) apply to my work. Of course the work I submitted is figurative and shows the human body, but it also is a very ethereal and fleeting moment of action.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
AP – I think the ITSLIQUID platform is a wonderful opportunity for artists to show their work and gain powerful exposure. I think ITSLIQUID partnerships with amazing and historic venues around Europe are an incredible and unique way to present this art as well.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us? 
AP – I did enjoy it, the process was very simple and easy, even all the way from New York. I would definitely do it again!

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
AP – I don’t really have any suggestions, I wouldn’t change much! I was curious about the layout of the show and where my piece would be, because I didn’t know, perhaps in the future you could send that information before the show.