From Marcela Grassi, I would like to start by talking about the sincerity of her work. When we chose as the cover image of Oscar Niemeyer's MAC Niteroi, one of those architect-characters who always evoke epic narrations of architecture, we called Marcela to tell her that the image was not perfect and had some noise, Marcela commented: Yes, that's right, because I taked a scaning to digitized it and in process there had been some loss. She told us that the image was important because it was one of the first, before even moving to digital photography. As it happened with Banksy work a few days ago, we thought that this image increased its value and was even more interesting, to talk about Grassi.
The path of Marcela Grassi in photography is long. From her initial concerns printed by the passion of her grandfather, going through the analogical shots, until eleven years ago, when she switched to digital photography. A trajectory where photography, as she tells us, becomes something natural when it comes to looking at architecture.
I do not know if it is intentional or not that in many of her photographs a special, golden light is recognized, as in some images of the intervention of the Oliva Artés factory by BAAS Arquitectura, in others of the Vallvidrera house, or in some of the Bündner Kunstmuseum. her images, impeccable execution, show us a narrative about the buildings that tell the architect's intentions, also adding images with her more personal vision, which allows to notably enrich the visual narration of the project.
Marcela Grassi is gradually becoming a classic, surely soon as one of her beloved references, Jordi Bernadó or the deceased Gabriele Basilico. Time to time.
The path of Marcela Grassi in photography is long. From her initial concerns printed by the passion of her grandfather, going through the analogical shots, until eleven years ago, when she switched to digital photography. A trajectory where photography, as she tells us, becomes something natural when it comes to looking at architecture.
I do not know if it is intentional or not that in many of her photographs a special, golden light is recognized, as in some images of the intervention of the Oliva Artés factory by BAAS Arquitectura, in others of the Vallvidrera house, or in some of the Bündner Kunstmuseum. her images, impeccable execution, show us a narrative about the buildings that tell the architect's intentions, also adding images with her more personal vision, which allows to notably enrich the visual narration of the project.
Marcela Grassi is gradually becoming a classic, surely soon as one of her beloved references, Jordi Bernadó or the deceased Gabriele Basilico. Time to time.
What led you to the photography?
In my family photography was always present: as a child, my paternal grandfather had the house full of cameras, he fixed them: he gave me one at 10 years old. Then, during my adolescence I discovered architecture photography through my friend and teacher Carlos Vallejos, who photographed Romanesque and Gothic churches with rigor and precision. During the years of the University, my first approach to architecture was through photography, not drawing. I always found natural to photograph before drawing a space, a building.
Why architectural photography?
It could not be otherwise: it was what I studied, what shaped my thoughts in adulthood. Grow thinking in the plant, in section, get excited in front of a space, a detail well done: for me it was natural to make this transition from the profession of architect to photographer.
A photographer who you consider a reference?
Many. Beginning with Gabriele Basilico, great master of Italian photography. His account of the context, his reading of the cities is a lesson for all of us. An important role has also been Jordi Bernadó, a photographer that I appreciate very much, (with training as an architect), who when seeing my first analogue photographs encouraged me to continue on this path.
Build photography, ideas, inspiration? What do you prefer to capture spaces or create places?
Build photography through geometry, the game of lights and shadows, volumes, textures. An architecture within architecture. A story of architecture through the eyes of an architect. When I started the race my goal was to create places, create architecture that people could enjoy. After years of hard work I understood that it is very difficult for an architect to get to realize the idea he has of a project, you have to collide with bureaucratic realities, construction errors, and endless difficulties that make the result very frustrating . I always liked photography and I always liked photographing architecture, so I thought it could be more satisfying to make good architecture photography, creating a new vision of architecture itself, and gratifying the architect's work, making him forget the difficulties he has had during the performance.
Your first camera? And now?
My first camera was analogue, a Leica from the 60s or 70s, the one that my grandfather gave me at 10 years old. The last analog camera with which I shot was an Olympus (I still have it, in fact). Then in 2007 I switched to digital photography, and since then I've always had Canon. Now a 5D Mark IV with decentrable lenses and optical zoom. It is very important, for me, to use a variety of lenses that allow me to obtain various points of view, from the general to the detail. I also use carbon fiber tripod and adjustable head. If necessary, for indoor sessions I also use artificial lighting.
Is there any picture that you would have or would like to do?
I have always had this concern: photographing architectures that do not exist today. The invisible cities of Italo Calvino. The Library of Alesandria. The imaginary spaces of M. C. Escher ... The fantastic worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien ...
