Interview with Gaspar Marquez

Can you share a little bit about yourself and your practice?

I was born & raised in Mexico. I am a self taught photographer/videographer, but took plenty of classes at prestigious schools such as the School of The International Center of Photography and The School of Visual Arts in New York city, not to mention I got a BA in Business Administration in Mexico. I’ve won over 30 awards in the field of Photography in the last 4 years, and I’ve curated 2 group photography shows in Brooklyn and I am currently an associate curator of the VAEFF 2025 ( Video Art Experimental Film Festival) in New York City. I”ve been influenced over the years by the great masters of the medium like Man Ray, Nick Knight and Helmut Newton besides amazing painters like Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Urban Art.

I am working as a Freelance photographer/videographer doing Fine Art, Portraits, Fashion & Lifestyle. I love music, traveling, nature, animals, meditation, and great documentaries. I live in Tucson, Az., but would love to retire and live in a cool and safe beach by the Sea of Cortez or in a cool cabin in The Grand Canyon.

Do you work with found photographs or family archives? If you work with both, do you have a different relationship to the pieces while creating them?

In this particular case, these are family photos that were found after my mom passed away. I am certain that these photos were taken in the late 70’s when my Mother and Dad were in Spain doing a seminar and/or a specialty study in the field of Medicine. I definitely have a totally different relationship with this project for it is a super personal photo project to me. I put these series as an homage to my mom, she was a very well educated , dressed and traveled woman. She was a medicine doctor who always cared for her community, family and friends. As far as I remember, when my parents were in Spain, I was a little kid, and somehow I was home alone with my siblings having the time of our lives! We would just play for hours, watch cartoons, tv, eat junk food and candy for days…

How would you describe your process?

The process of my work usually starts with a vision, I mean through an idea that pops up in my mind. Sometimes it’s very clear and sometimes it’s not. During this time of “flow” I try to receive all the ideas and vision I might have. This is the most important step of the process. I do this through writing notes, audio recordings for more conceptual thoughts or actually creating drafts in photoshop. Then the next day, when my mind is clear and rested I logistically finish the idea(s) in a more professional way in Photoshop and/or Adobe Premiere.

What themes are you exploring within your work?

I love to explore the Fine Art Nude, Fashion, Urban, cityscapes, Nature, anthropological issues like the Rock/Metal scene, and conceptual work like Heaven, Hell and the Purgatory. And I explore the themes of Travelling, memories, Urbanism through my video work.

What are your current inspirations?

Fashion, Cinema, The Nude, The Desert, Street Art, Collage, contemporary Art and cool documentaries.

Gaspar Marquez

he/his | USA, Mexico

Instagram: @gaspar_marquez_photography

Website: gasparmarquezfineart.com

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