Inspiration feeder: Sara Argiolas

Our “Inspiration Feeder” presents to you short interviews with interesting visual artists from around the globe. Today in focus Sara Argiolas.

Please provide us with a short biography (place of birth/living, education, profession, accomplishments, how you got into photography)

I was born and live in Cagliari municipality in Sardinia, Italy, where I graduated Scientific High School and went on to continue my studies in Cultural Heritage. From an early age I’ve been passionate about the world of photography and art. My attention has always been captured by the world around me, of which I want to express my thoughts and emotions. After years of self-teaching, I attended photography school, which gave me the chance to participate in a few collective exhibitions. I had the chance to experience different photographic styles, but the most beneficial aspect for me from my studies was that I understood who I don’t want to be. I don’t want to follow the crowd or do something that others like and not me. I study other authors and maybe take inspiration to do something different. I do what I feel like doing at the moment. I don’t plan anything.

I took part in various international awards, obtaining several honorable mentions and arriving among the finalists in a collective exhibition at the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize Gallery in London. In 2021 I joined the young emerging artists at the famous Looking for Art Gallery in Milan with some of my artworks. That same year I published my first photographic project entitled “Psyche”. It was born day by day without a schedule. It started with one artwork, then two and became 14! The last pictures were all created all together in the lockdown of last year. I let out all the emotions accumulated over the years. Generally, it can take days before I’m completely satisfied with an image.

Could you tell us what genre of photography you did previously and how and why you made the transition into digital composite photography?

I started with traditional photography, I love street photography and everything that draws my attention. I would rather not classify myself in a specific field that would impose limits on me.

I use conceptual photography and the manipulation of images to tell what I feel, to represent reality seen from my point of view. I started using manipulated, hence conceptual photography, 4 years ago. It happened by chance, in a specific moment of my life and it was really an eye-opening experience. I taught myself and I don’t even have super programs and the latest generation PC. I use mainly open source programs and I watch many tutorials on Youtube. Mainly it all starts in my head, the rest just helps me realize it. I have had the opportunity to know this technique, to study and to perfect it, and in time I’ll keep on doing it, maybe expanding my own work. This is just the beginning.

Have you heard people seeing different things than what you imagined in the images from “Psyche”?

I am pleased that when someone is viewing my work, they always see different things than what was intended. I don’t like it when the artwork is one way! Everyone expresses a different opinion and they ought to think and feel driven by the moment. Actually, no one has seen what inspired me for this body of work for now, but I like this fact!

What are some of the emotions you try to convey in your work?

Firstly, I think about what I feel, the rest comes naturally. For these artworks I felt a mix of emotions; sadness, anger, loneliness, destruction, but also awareness. And if I can pass it on to others, it means that I have succeeded.

How do you generally come up with a concept or a theme for a project?

I generally come up with a concept or a theme for a project by following my moods in a certain period.

What are you currently working on?

In this period I’m working on a project called “Spazi e Silenzi”. It is a project born from the reflection on the current historical period characterized by insecurities and confusion on a global level.