Every year thousands of people are moving into Lonon trying to laucnh their career. Most of people who want to put their foot in the world of art, music, photography (or journalism) choose East London as the place where to start from.
This is the case of Stefano Venturi, a young Italian photographer who has recently been published on the website of Vogue Italy, with some pictures taken in Shoreditch.
We both belong to the description of the first paragraph, and being based close to Brick Lane we have arranged this interview in the heart of the area, at the Brick Lane Coffè (157 Brick Lane).
How did you start your carreer in London?
“I moved in London after being based in Venice. Once I was in the city I took a while to move east, but than I get in touch with creative people in a very stimulating area. Eventually I start working in Curtain road, where most of the photographic studios are based. I made some projects with my girlfriend Catherine (http://catherinehammick.weebly.com/, in the website you can check out also Stefano’s photos), a stylist & photographer based in the area, I got some new contacts and started my career.”
What about your carreer? How will you develop it?
“I’ve been always doing pictures on the street, stopping people and asking them if they would like to be the subject of my photos. Now I’m also working in studios and doing freelance photography and photoshoots.”
How do you decide who will be the subject of your photos?
“At the very beginning I was mainly doing illustrations. I used photoshop a lot. I didn’t care much about the subject. My idea, what I had in mind was important. Than I’ve become more interested on people’s character, I took them some pictures representing their personality and my point of view.”
Some of your pictures taken in Shoreditch has been recently published on Vogue Italy…
“I take pictures of people on the street. I like people with character. After the subject, I photograph what’s around him or her. I mix the subject and the environment. That’s one of the few works that I now do with Photoshop. What I want to show is how the person changes belonging to where is living. It’s not the person who changes the environment, but the environment that changes people. Shoreditch is an example of it. The area has changed a lot in a short period. People working, living and going out in here are changed as well. In the area are coming lot of people from everywhere. Can be Italy, Spain or Essex.”
What is your view about the development of Shoreditch with new shops and business?
“Well, five years ago the area was clearly alive and very stimulating, but it was almost like a getto. Than, thanks to this new blogs and magazines on line, all based in Shoreditch we are now living the boom of the area. Now you can also find lot of turists. Usually Brick Lane and Shoreditch has never been visited by many turists.”
Do you think it will help you and the art in general in the area?
“It’s good because many people are now coming here, it’s more open as what it used to be. But even more competitive. On the other hand it’s becoming a kind of “Covent Garden”. The new Shoreditch Boxpark, for example, has welcomed lot of famous brands. But the space could have been dedicated to local stylists and designers.”
What do you think the future has in store for Shoreditch?
“I think the area will stay pretty much like it is for quite a long time. Than something special, a big event will transform it and make it more similar to the center, like a little “Covent Garden”.
