Interview Alexandra Wolkowicz
Photography helps me to go through life with a more open mind.
Name: Alexandra Wolkowicz
Hometown: Liverpool, UK
Style of photography: Fine art, documentary
Type of camera(s): Nikon D300, D700, Pentax 6×7, Leica D-Lux
Website: www.studiowolkowicz.com & www.wolkowicz.com
What gives you inspiration?
I get inspiration from escaping the everyday. Travel and new experiences help me gain new perspectives on life. I feel intrigued by mysterious objects, unfamiliar situations and haunting atmospheres… I look at nature, people and at myself to find themes worth exploring. I also feel inspired by other people and like to work collaboratively.
What are your influences?
My work is influenced by my early experiences of growing up in Germany with family roots in Poland. I remember hours spent in the car travelling between the countries. The transient quality of that time and a sense of otherness are intrinsic to me and characterize my work.
Another important influence was my experience of theatre. As a teenager I began working in a theatre and became mesmerized by that world. The immersive nature of performance and the power of ambiences created through light and sound have left a lasting impression on me. I try to create work that I can get lost in.
Why did you choose these photos?
I chose two photos from two recent projects that touch on the themes mentioned above.
‘Birds’ ear view’ is a collaborative project about bird and building collisions in NYC.
‘Time windows’ is a more personal project about my childhood and an attempt to grasp the passing of time.
BIRDS EAR VIEW
With the help of NYC Audubon, the charity that protects wild birds living in the city, we learned that thousands of birds fly into skyscrapers during migration season in autumn and spring every year. They are distracted by lights at night and cannot see the buildings because of their mirror-glass surfaces during the day.
These images were taken in New York City in spring 2009. We also recorded sound from rooftops.
TIME WINDOWS – SQUARING UP TO THE PAST
This series of photographs was taken in November 2009 while my father was moving out of his flat in Weilbergstr. 1 where I grew up. Whilst helping to pack I looked again at old photographs and began to map the past with the present. I became the viewer and the viewed.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography helps me to go through life with a more open mind. It allows me to see the world and my place within it.
Photos:
Copyright reserved by Alexandra Wolkowicz
