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Agustin Hernandez: It was more the good reactions I got from people that made me realize my pictures could be something more. It was probably a photo of some dried yellow roses next to a power outlet or a portrait of the Virgin Mary on a wall with a party streamer casually hung across her face.How would you describe your photos to someone who hasn't seen them before? Is there a particular vibe or aesthetic that you feel connects all your work?
To me, my photos are sort of like an installation or a still life—staged but improvised, carefully but spontaneously thought out, dark but pleasant, raw but dolled-up. The more I think about it, the more I see one huge contradiction. They seem to all surround a make-believe scenario that inspires nostalgia in me. They feel like deja vu or a daydream. I live in daydreams.
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I have an impulsive trigger to rearrange or manipulate a situation or story into ideas that appeal to me. I tend to collect sentimental and symbolic objects that inspire me and I often use them throughout my photos. It's magical to me—the way things can embody an array of emotion. When I start shooting it's all very improvised and silly, yet I always have a specific vision that comes together.
I think my work has benefited from my simplistic process. I've grown attached to my point-and-shoot cameras. I'm somewhat impatient while shooting and prefer to snap away, rather than get all worked up with technicality. I use a lot of flash and natural light, or total lack of light. I prefer the undisguised quality of film to digital perfection.Human limbs disappearing or reappearing as ghostly, disembodied parts seems to be a recurring theme in your work—flesh falling into these natural and synthetic abysses. Is the phantasmagorical aspect intentional?
Its all really fascinating to me—make-believe fantasies, illusions, and how our minds grow curious. I've always been a daydreamer, easily distracted, lost in fantasy. The playfulness and mischief in some of my work—vanishing or emerging figures—opens up a world of what could happen. I live for that sort of curiosity.
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I didn't pick up on the humor until someone pointed it out. I don't feel like it's intentional, but rather ironic. Irony can be humorous though twisted, cynical, or cruel at times. Still, I find it can be charming in an odd, innocent way. I think my images can be read with multiple interpretations—none that are foreseen.