Interview: Alexandro Pelaez
Luca Curci talks with Alexandro Pelaez, winner of PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH – FEBRUARY 2022.

Alexandro Pelaez is a Multi-award winning Latin American fine art film photographer based in London who initially started his professional career in Advertising in the USA. Having moved to London in 2001, Alexandro completed his second BA (Hons) at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Since then, Alexandro has received numerous photography awards around the world and has worked over the years on various photography projects with different clients in the UK, Latvia, Germany, Italy, France, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mexico, and USA.

Luca Curci – What is art for you?
Alexandro Pelaez – Art for me personally, is not only a way to express myself but a way for me to disconnect from reality and anything that is going on in life in general.

LC – Which is the role the artist plays in society? And contemporary art?
AP – I believe the role the artist plays in society and contemporary art in essence is communicating a message and/or expressing their personal views on any specific matter or subject.

LC – What are you currently working on?
AP – I am still currently working on my project “ECLECTIC” which is a six-year series of double exposure photographs of Street Environments of different cities, countryside, and beaches from around the world. Where each city has its own distinctive pace of elements, circumstances, colors; an array of miscellanea that shape what we call memory; a human quality as ephemeral as ever-changing. All pictures are taken with a 35mm and a 120mm film camera using color film, applying the double exposure technique, creating a balance of colors, shapes, and symmetries.

LC – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
AP – My background is advertising, I studied it in Florida, USA, and worked in two advertising agencies in the art department doing graphic design. I then moved to London in 2001 where focused on photography and I started working in sports photography and fashion photography. Two very different worlds of photography but where I loved and learned the energy and the attention to detail.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
AP – I find my inspiration outdoors, whether is the energy of a metropolis city or the calm and peace of nature. I love and enjoy observing and exploring my surroundings.

LC – What is the most challenging part about creating your artworks?
AP – The most challenging part about creating my artwork is making sure that today I take better pictures than yesterday. I am very hard on myself when it comes to working and my aim or challenge is to take better photographs every day I go out especially when you are shooting with film cameras as I do. The great thing about photography and art itself is that is fun and is meant to be enjoyed. As I mentioned before, art for me is a way to disconnect from reality.