Maria Mangold is a photographer based in Lucerne, Switzerland. Coming from a dance background, she uses her experience in stage make up and costume design for her work as a photographer. She describes her style as traditional, modern, radical, classic but still progressive, melancholic, dark, open-minded but primarily and always honest. All of her work arises out of a personal experience.
KALTBLUT: You say you started out dancing. How did you get started with photography?
Maria: Before I started working as a photographer my life was dance. I was living in San Francisco for some months visiting dance schools. One night we went out to watch a performance and there was a dancer wearing a skull make up. I was totally fascinated by the skull make up, so when I got back to Switzerland I made myself a skull make up, took a picture and showed it some friends. They all wanted me to do the same for them, so I made my first portraits. The next question was, why only take pictures that look nice, why not give them a meaning? So I made my first series “at the beginning was the end” and after a year I had my first exhibition.
At that point, I had no idea of photography. I didn’t even have my own camera, no photoshop and I just worked whit available light. But I always had a clear imagine in my mind of how I wanted the picture to look, so I just tried until I had the result I wanted.
Then of course I wanted to go further and I took some classes in photography and I got the chance to assist www.alexandfelix.com two really great artists. I’ve learned a lot from them. What I can say is I’m not a technical photographer, I just work with the tools I have the moment I’m shooting.
KALTBLUT: How do you choose your models?
Maria: I always work with normal people I see in the streets or friends. These are always people that have a story to tell just with their eyes. I want my work to be real and honest.
KALTBLUT: Regarding photography, where do you get inspiration from?
Maria: Myself. My work is always a reflection of my personality. To me photography is a way of getting trough issues I’m having in my personal life.
For the visual part I get inspiration from nature, street, tribes, tattoo-world, fairytales…Things I see in daily life.
KALTBLUT: Are you working on something right now?
Maria: I have just finished my newest project “out of fear” which I’m going to present the first time at AKA Gallery Berlin from the 7.3 – 4.4
“Out of fear” is about mind made fear, inner demons and the voices in our mind, that sometimes take control of our actions.
Beside the photographic part, the exhibition contains drawings of demons and thoughts, representing our inner life. For that part of the work, tattoo artist Liam Sparkes inspired me a lot. Maybe I get the chance to work with him in summer, we’ll see.
Interview by Emma E. K. Jones
