Gianluca Attoli and Eva Sanchez are both interested in urban spaces. Though the former likes to capture the spirits of places, the latter prefers the graphic dimension of landscapes. Here are our readers picks #260.
Gianluca Attoli
Living in Northern Italy, Gianluca Attoli only started practicing photography in March 2019. “I was taking random daily pictures with my phone like anyone, and I started realising I was putting an unusual amount of creative effort into them. Once I got a camera in my hands it felt unexpectedly right and almost familiar to me, as if I was just waiting for that “meeting” to happen”, the 35-year-old artist tells us. Ever since his first steps, he has been interested in urban spaces, trying to capture them neutrally, while revealing these places’ spirits. “I try to emphasize a certain situation or mood, usually either conflictual, ironic or unusually beautiful”, he adds. Suburban Base and Suburban Base/After dark can read as two complimentary series, showcasing the same places, the same suburbs at different hours. “I decided to keep them separate for atmospheric reasons: during the day it’s all about snatching ephemeral moments, during the night everything become motionless and still”, the photographer explains. A pair of poetic works, highlighting the cold symmetry of modern architecture and the mystery of nocturnal chiaroscuros.
© Gianluca Attoli
Eva Sanchez
“The urban space is filled with geometry thought for and by men. I find this ambivalence interesting, since both the notions of functionality and aesthetics coexist. I would like to see how architects work with space regarding these stakes”,
explains Eva Sanchez, a 27-year-old photographer. She started photography when she was a teenager and has been playing with lines and composing her images keeping in mind the buildings from the cities she visits. “The lines are markers of space and limitation. They are the contours of a drawing to fill, they design the environment in which people live. The compositions come spontaneously to me, either because the lines progress towards a coherent image, or because a graphic element deserves to be highlighted (…) I love metaphors and symbols. Abstract art is something I am fond of.” Eva Sanchez also appreciates other forms of urban explorations. “The places I capture are those of daily life, of my trips, but also of my urbex roaming. I am currently putting together a book with my urbex partner.” Today, the young Parisian wants to improve her technique and continue working on cities. She plans on producing a series on public equipment. A photographer to follow closely…
© Eva Sanchez
Cover picture: © Gianluca Attoli