Filippo Poli

How did you get into making art?

I came to photography through architecture; I have always used it as a tool to present my projects or to document a space. My personal photographic projects explore the cultural landscape and the evolving relationship between humans and nature.

What are you currently working on?

The project Alpine Hiatus, presented at the Hopper Prize, is still ongoing and takes place in the Italian Alps, a territory undergoing profound transformation, where ski resorts and global warming are making increasingly evident the need for a paradigm shift capable of rethinking the future of these spaces

What inspired you to get started on this body of work?

The story I am telling is common to many mountain regions, but the inspiration comes from my personal relationship with this landscape over the past 40 years.

Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?

My practice develops in a broader and continuous way, without rigid boundaries between one project and the next. Each work emerges from a research process that intertwines with previous experiences and opens to future developments. I am interested in maintaining a coherent vision that can expand over time, allowing themes and images to interact with one another in a wider trajectory that goes beyond a single project.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

My days are very diverse. Architectural photo shoots are very long — I work from dawn until night. On other days, I am busy with post-production, promoting projects, or working on my personal projects, which I cannot always pursue as consistently as I would like.

Who are your favorite artists?

My background is in architecture, and I continue to draw inspiration from that world. I could list many architects I follow and would love to collaborate with one day, as well as photographers whose work I like to revisit (Abbott, Stoller, Korab, Basilico, Ghirri, Kertész, Koudelka…).

Where do you go to discover new artists?

The best way for me to discover new talents is by talking with fellow photographers or with my architect clients, and of course by trying to attend fairs and festivals — something I unfortunately cannot do as often as I would like.