Francisco Gonzalez Camacho

How did you get into making art?

As a kid, I very early on gravitated towards music and later on, photography through my father’s cameras. It wasn’t until I was 18 when I got my first camera, which led me to study photography in an art school in my hometown in Spain. Years later, I moved to the UK where I completed a BA in Documentary Photography. I am currently based in Finland, finishing an MA in Photography at Aalto University.

What are you currently working on?

In my most recent work, Reverting, I present visual research through materiality on the commoditization of nature in the context of the tourist industry in Iceland.

I explore some of the issues related to tourism such as gentrification, waste and environmental degradation, which challenge the idealized image of the Icelandic landscape. This work combines the photographic exploration of highly visited natural locations, reinterpreted in combination with the creation of my own handmade recycled paper from waste.

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

This project was developed in Reykjavík with the SIM artist-in-residence program. I wanted to create alternative ways to engage with the landscape as a visitor, transcending its view as some sort of consumer good that tourism usually creates.

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

My practice has progressively evolved over the years. My background in on street on documentary photography, currently focuses on fine art, slowly creating a coalescence with printmaking and alternative processes. After moving to Finland, nature and the landscape have taken a bigger presence in my practice. I think it is only recently that I found my own photographic language through experimentation with various techniques and materials.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

I don’t have any sort of studio routine per se. I have periods where I am not actively doing work, so until then most of the time is expended on my computer making grant applications, research, catching up with editing…

Who are your favorite artists?

I find inspiration from many artists from a variety of styles and mediums. Some of my favorite photographers are Masao Yamamoto, Albarran Cabrera, Bill Brandt, Edward Weston, André Kertész, Daido Moriyama…

Where do you go to discover new artists?

Instagram, exhibitions, festivals and friend recommendations.