maria_maglionico — analog magazine

Maria Maglionico

Jun 14, 2018

Maria is a young Italian photographer who creates fascinating images where minimalism and a careful attention to composition are the main drives. Inspired by her local landscapes and filled with human presence, her images are journey into her mind and memories. Maria's photographs are an extraordinary mise en scène, where all the details are carefully observed and nothing feels overacted or out of place.

First of all thank you very much for your contribution to our project. Can you please introduce yourself for us?

I come from Fasano, a small town in Apulia, Southern Italy. I have almost finished my studies in Communication and Marketing and as an emergent photographer, I dedicate all of my spare time to learn and improve my knowledge of visual arts and photography techniques.

How did you start in photography?

I developed a particular affection for photography when I was a teenager. I have always thought that – maybe unconsciously – having barely three or four pictures of myself as a child (my parents were not used to take photos) encouraged me to embrace photography as a way of capturing all the moments that I have lost in the past. I remember my friends showing me pictures of their childhood and realised that I had nothing to show to them. Photography became just a way to remember at first, but started to be something deeper as time went by.

What inspires your work?

At the beginning, I started mainly taking pictures of landscapes. The land I live in has always been a great source of inspiration for my work. I grew up in a place full of seasonal contradictions, a land full of tourists and life during summer, replaced by inspiring solitary beaches in the low season. Nevertheless, I figured out that something was missing in my pictures, an absence that could be only completed with the presence of the human being and its several shapes, its role in the nature.

How would you describe your visual language?

In my pictures I basically focus on minimalism and the composition of the elements. I hope that whoever standing in front of my photos perceives this dreamy reality I try to depict, a feeling that cannot be described in words but only perceived through images.

Who are your favourite photographers / artists?

It’s not easy to make a choice. I would probably say that my favorite artists are Guy Bourdin, Nan Goldin, Todd Hido, Li Hui, but my crash would definitely be Lukas Wierzbowski.