María Azkarate. Woman Photographer
08/10/2018.
Architecture Women Photographers in Spain Series. 3/11
metalocus, JOSÉ JUAN BARBA
metalocus, JOSÉ JUAN BARBA
Her professional dedication to architectural photography is relatively recent, not less intense, interesting and promising, as a result of a long journey through photography, which is shown through a mature approach, translated into conceptualization and narrative in her shots.
From the series "Out of ordination". Ongoing project. Photograph by © María Azkarate
From the series "Out of ordination". Ongoing project. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Bioclimatic Towers in Salburua. Abalos + Blacksmiths + Sentkiewicz. Vitoria, 2006. Photograph by © María Azkarate
108 VPT housing in Ardoi. Alfonso Alzugaray. Zizur Mayor, 2008. Photograph by © María Azkarate
From the series "Light and Matter". Condestable Palace. Tabuenca and Leache architects. Pamplona, 2008. Project in progress. Photograph by © María Azkarate
From the series "Light and Matter". Condestable Palace. Tabuenca and Leache architects. Pamplona, 2008. Project in progress. Photograph by © María Azkarate
From the series "Light and Matter". Condestable Palace. Tabuenca and Leache architects. Pamplona, 2008. Project in progress. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Biomedical research center. Vaíllo + Irigaray + Galar. Pamplona, 2011. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Building of the Faculty of Economics and Masters of the University of Navarra. Otxotorena architects. Pamplona, 2012. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Thermos building. VA architects. Pamplona, 2017. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Interior reform of housing. María José Lauroba Hernani, 2018. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Exhibition "The beauty of the skeletons of architecture". Braking Molina León. Pamplona, 2018. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Parish of San Pedro Mártir. Miguel Fisac. Madrid, 1959. Photograph by © María Azkarate
Her initial link with art is clearly reflected in her main photographic references. The sources of María Azkarate are photographers works whose shots are characterized by important references to art, such as the abstraction related to architecture in the work of the Italian Luisa Lambri, the application of minimalism, the conceptualization that takes to remind us of Hiroshi Sujimoto's work and the artificial compositions by Todd Hiddo, the latter with series of very characteristic images, with a long exposure (from 4 to 10 minutes) where the artifice is not found in mechanisms added as complementary lights, but in the search and wait of scene captured, from a point of view and with a very personal time of perception.
With a different approach but with an interest similar to that which can be observed in the work of Todd Hiddo, in the images of María Azkarate we can also see a very similar creation and abstract composition, in her selection of "Luz y materia" series, that she has sent us.
Some guidelines of her work are a great elegance, rigor in the composition and control of light, such as the one shown in the examples of "Fuera de Ordenación / Out of order", a series of images that are under construction. In this case, in black and white, with very clear compositional triangles that stabilize the image and with a very elaborate light control. We are before a woman photographer whose trajectory promises interesting and powerful future proposals.
With a different approach but with an interest similar to that which can be observed in the work of Todd Hiddo, in the images of María Azkarate we can also see a very similar creation and abstract composition, in her selection of "Luz y materia" series, that she has sent us.
Some guidelines of her work are a great elegance, rigor in the composition and control of light, such as the one shown in the examples of "Fuera de Ordenación / Out of order", a series of images that are under construction. In this case, in black and white, with very clear compositional triangles that stabilize the image and with a very elaborate light control. We are before a woman photographer whose trajectory promises interesting and powerful future proposals.
What led you to the photograph?
It was the architecture that took me to photography, and not the other way around. For me they are inseparable. The use of photography as a tool for the study and analysis of the buildings that interested me, led me to discover architecture photography as a discipline, in which I am now immersed.
Why architectural photography?
My photographic subjects are architecture and the city, because that is where my main interests reside. Both are extremely complex events, which can be explained from various points of view: political, technical, economic, psychological, social ... architectural photography can approach the architectural fact, or the urban fact, from very different angles. That is for me an inexhaustible wealth that I never tire of exploring. Photography is therefore also a mental process. I accompany my photographic work with the continuous reading of essays on the city and architecture, looking for story lines, ways of understanding and therefore ways of looking.
In architecture, I feel very close to the phenomenological approach of Pallasmaa and his proposal of the existential space.
In addition to the architecture reports, I am working on several personal projects that focus on the city as a political space.
In architecture, I feel very close to the phenomenological approach of Pallasmaa and his proposal of the existential space.
In addition to the architecture reports, I am working on several personal projects that focus on the city as a political space.
A photographer that you consider a reference?
It is impossible for me to name only one. Of course there are the architecture photographers, from Stoller, Shulman, Hervé or Korab to the most recent Baan, Guerra ...
I am interested perhaps, above all, in the work of photographers who work in architecture as a theme in their artistic production, such as Hélène Binet, Luisa Lambri, Todd Hido or Hiroshi Sujimoto.
In the urban landscape, I am very interested in the work of the New Topographics, and some of the authors of the Dusseldorff school, as well as, Eugène Atget or Walker Evans.
Of the contemporary authors I would mention Simon Norfolk, Gregor Sailer, Nadav Kander, Baas Princen and I leave many. I can not stop naming Carlos Canovas, whom I've had the good fortune to have as a teacher.
I am interested perhaps, above all, in the work of photographers who work in architecture as a theme in their artistic production, such as Hélène Binet, Luisa Lambri, Todd Hido or Hiroshi Sujimoto.
In the urban landscape, I am very interested in the work of the New Topographics, and some of the authors of the Dusseldorff school, as well as, Eugène Atget or Walker Evans.
Of the contemporary authors I would mention Simon Norfolk, Gregor Sailer, Nadav Kander, Baas Princen and I leave many. I can not stop naming Carlos Canovas, whom I've had the good fortune to have as a teacher.
Build photography, ideas, inspiration? What do you prefer to capture spaces or create places?
I confront a very different report on commission and personal work.
In the assignment I focus on transmitting the main ideas of the project, what the architect is interested in telling about his work, so for me it is very valuable the talk prior to the completion of the report, as well as a detailed study of the documents of draft.
Personal work is above all a field of experimentation and study, which allows me to enrich the narratives of professional work, at the service of the client. Having practiced the profession for years, makes me especially sensitive to the complexity of the process of creating the architectural work and I feel a deep respect and admiration for those architecture studios that are capable of carrying out high quality works, because I know how hard it is. In that sense, my commitment to the client is full.
From the point of view of the construction of the image, I leave a lot of space to intuition, which drinks from my own visual culture. For years, before I met photography, I was passionate about painting and took every opportunity to get lost in a gallery. As an architect, in an unconscious way at first, and fully aware in recent years, I have known and analyzed the work of the most prominent architectural photographers, in addition to knowing first-hand some of the main works of modern and contemporary architecture. As a photographer, I do not stop studying the photographic work of authors of all kinds on a daily basis. I think that in any creative work, the input should be the maximum possible.
I am very interested in the last question. I would say that I seek to capture spaces in architecture and create places in urban landscape. Although, often, the intentions are reversed.
In the assignment I focus on transmitting the main ideas of the project, what the architect is interested in telling about his work, so for me it is very valuable the talk prior to the completion of the report, as well as a detailed study of the documents of draft.
Personal work is above all a field of experimentation and study, which allows me to enrich the narratives of professional work, at the service of the client. Having practiced the profession for years, makes me especially sensitive to the complexity of the process of creating the architectural work and I feel a deep respect and admiration for those architecture studios that are capable of carrying out high quality works, because I know how hard it is. In that sense, my commitment to the client is full.
From the point of view of the construction of the image, I leave a lot of space to intuition, which drinks from my own visual culture. For years, before I met photography, I was passionate about painting and took every opportunity to get lost in a gallery. As an architect, in an unconscious way at first, and fully aware in recent years, I have known and analyzed the work of the most prominent architectural photographers, in addition to knowing first-hand some of the main works of modern and contemporary architecture. As a photographer, I do not stop studying the photographic work of authors of all kinds on a daily basis. I think that in any creative work, the input should be the maximum possible.
I am very interested in the last question. I would say that I seek to capture spaces in architecture and create places in urban landscape. Although, often, the intentions are reversed.
Your first camera? And now?
An analog reflex, which was not even mine, was my brother's. I am currently working with a digital camera with full format and decentralized objectives.
Is there a picture that you would have liked or would you like to make?
Quoting Imogen Cunningham, the photograph that I like the most is the one I'm going to do tomorrow. I am very focused on the process of developing a more expressive visual language, drinking from a multitude of sources and experimenting, to find a way to narrate the architecture that expresses the profound complexity that certain architectural spaces have for me. In my urban landscape projects that attitude of learning and experimentation points in another direction, but it is basically the same. However, I must confess that right now comes to my mind some image of Balthazar Korab, which I would have loved to sign.
More information
María Azkarate
María Azkarate (Vitoria 1977) is an architect by ETSAUN (2002) and a professional architecture photographer since 2017. She decides to start this new professional career, seeking to respond to the growing needs of architecture studios to have quality photography, face to build a solid identity in the different digital platforms and social networks.
As a photographer, she works professionally documenting the daily work of local studios. He accompanies this work with the production of personal work, experimenting on the possibilities of the photographic language to express the complexity of the architectural space and developing photographic projects on the city as a political space.
In the process of constant training, he has participated in different workshops and courses with photographers such as Carlos Cánovas, Paco Polán, Awoiska van der Molen, Federico Clavarino and Jon Cazenave.
His reports have been published in various specialized media of architecture. His work has been exhibited in various collective exhibitions in the Basque Country and Navarra since 2016.
María Azkarate lives and works in Pamplona.
As a photographer, she works professionally documenting the daily work of local studios. He accompanies this work with the production of personal work, experimenting on the possibilities of the photographic language to express the complexity of the architectural space and developing photographic projects on the city as a political space.
In the process of constant training, he has participated in different workshops and courses with photographers such as Carlos Cánovas, Paco Polán, Awoiska van der Molen, Federico Clavarino and Jon Cazenave.
His reports have been published in various specialized media of architecture. His work has been exhibited in various collective exhibitions in the Basque Country and Navarra since 2016.
María Azkarate lives and works in Pamplona.
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