The most important for an artist is their integrity
Atmospheric in nature, Lara Gasparotto’s work introduces a merge of realism with the aesthetics of paintings, presenting each brush of color in an emblematic way. The observation is of nature, the surroundings, of people and is realized through post-production and the work with the physical image to reach a specific, repetitive texture recurring in her projects.
People are presented humanely and authentically in an attempt to capture the essence of life through an elusive moment. The tenderness of the touch, the soft gaze, the curves of the body, the situation presented in a frame - all remind the viewer of the beauty of life again and again.
Lara Gasparotto is a photographer from Liège, who currently lives and works in Brussels, Belgium. Lara graduated from the Saint-Luc École Supérieure des Arts, and today she pursues the studies of the Russian language at the Haute Ecole Marie Haps. Frequent yearly travels to Ukraine, before the pandemic, came as a deliberate decision to explore the country; the decision was based on the passion for Slavic culture and art. Lara explains, “I'm not sure where the roots of my interest in Slavic culture are coming from exactly. I know my grandfather was a huge fan of Russian literature, so maybe some of his memories are running in my blood.” In this conversation, we speak about Lara's experience growing up on a farm in the city of Liège, the frequent travels, and the critical impact solo exhibitions had on her career.
‘Thomas Chable, a good friend of my dad and a great photographer, offered me an analog camera when I was fourteen. I was carrying it all the time and photographed my friends in our teens. First parties, first adventures, first foolishness.’
I Am
Hi Lara, thanks for interviewing with us! We’re happy to have you in the mag. How did photography come about for you? What was the impact of Saint-Luc École on finding your voice and vision?
Thanks to you! I had studied at Saint-Luc School since I was fourteen years old. It's a high school for Fine Arts. I learned to paint and draw in a very academic way. Thomas Chable, a good friend of my dad and a great photographer, offered me an analog camera when I was fourteen. I was carrying it all the time and photographed my friends in our teens. First parties, first adventures, first foolishness.
In my final year of high school, I used photographs photocopied from books in the school library to make collages (not very good ones), and I started thinking it would be great if I would use my own photographs. I didn't want to keep studying painting. At the age of eighteen, I wanted to explore the world; back then, I was fascinated by movie directors and photographers. So I decided to study photography at Saint-Luc Superior School. I received extensive history and image aesthetics courses that still influence me. The school has a very classical and old fashioned approach to photography. And it gives me a desire to emancipate myself from academic shackles.
‘That's how I see it. I spent much of my time as a kid outside, observing nature and its pure beauty. I'm sure this goes out in my works now. You just swallow all the atoms around you and transform it into art.’
Liège
You grew up in Liège, Belgium, in the countryside, a topic you come back to explore in your work. What is the most colorful memory you have from your childhood connected to nature? How do you think the place affected you as an artist?
It's an interesting and beautiful question. The most colorful memory from my childhood is picking mushrooms with my family in the forest: the green moss, the lively colors of the mushrooms, and the snow of orange leaves. My dad's painting workshop is another very colorful memory.
The place you are in affects all your person and soul. I was a very lucky child. My parents bought an abandoned farm surrounded by prairies and woods when I was two years old. I grew up with the freedom of running everywhere and climbing trees. My dad allowed me to paint with him in his workshop. We had chickens running free, donkeys, goats, cats... All these bonds I had with nature since my younger age make me who I am today. That's how I see it. I spent much of my time as a kid outside, observing nature and its pure beauty. I'm sure this goes out in my works now. You just swallow all the atoms around you and transform it into art.
‘I had the chance to have the opportunity to be part of great projects around the world. Today, I don't feel this urgency to travel far. I just like to explore places in Europe, accessible by car and trains. Also, because of the ecological concerns.’
Traveling
In an interview with FotoRoom, you mentioned that you wanted to travel, which led you to become a photographer. You've been to a lot of countries and continents: Ukraine, Latin America, China, Africa, the US. What is the perfect balance between photography as an opportunity while traveling, documentary photography, and staged photography?
I grew up in an isolated place in the countryside and then studied in a small city. You have to understand that Liège is the Liverpool of Belgium. It's a city with a very big industrial past, steelworks used to make the economy flourish, but then it declined.
When I was a teenager in the city, my friends and I dreamed about living somewhere else. So I really wanted to see the world and understand it. I thought that to understand the world, you need to experience it. For me, photography was an excuse to legitimize where I was at the moment. Back then, I was partying every weekend. The fact of having my camera made me not only passive... when I was feeling lost, it gave me a will or a reason or an excuse. Same for traveling. I felt safe. I felt like it gave a purpose to my life and my thirst for discovery.
I started traveling with the girls from my crew from Liège around Europe by train. We ended up in Ukraine in 2011 for the first time. I realized then that I wanted to capture everything around me: like a statement of what was around us back then, a testimony of the atmosphere, of our youth, of the beauty of our intimacy. So I spent my twenties traveling and taking photos.
I think when you get this special force inside you that pushes you to always photograph, from your soul, you can highlight your feelings in your work. It doesn't matter the way you use photography, whether it's staged or pure documentary, just never lie to yourself about who you are and your motivations. I had the chance to have the opportunity to be part of great projects around the world. Today, I don't feel this urgency to travel far. I just like to explore places in Europe, accessible by car and trains. Also, because of the ecological concerns.
‘My best achievement is to be able to touch people through my books and my exhibitions. To have some people following and believing in me since the beginning is the best reward I could dream of.’
Challenges & Rewards
You were nominated for numerous awards and won the Unseen Talent Award, you took part in a lot of solo and group exhibitions, and the coverage you got online shows the enormous interest in your persona and work. What was the moment or achievement in your career you’re most proud of?
I think it was when I had my solo exhibition at the Fotomuseum of Den Haag in 2016 and my solo exhibition in Berlin at Galerie Kromus + Zink in 2015. Also, in my first solo exhibition at the Art Gallery Stieglitz19 in Antwerp, I had a lot of press and good reviews in the Flemish newspapers. I was only twenty-two years old. It was even crazier because I was coming from Liège, and I never thought I could make it to Flanders. I couldn't believe it.
When did you realize you’re making it as a photographer?
I sold my first pieces of works at Stieglitz19 and from there I could start to travel more and take more photographs. So it really helped me to go further in my career. I think, finally, my best achievement is to be able to touch people through my books and my exhibitions. To have some people following and believing in me since the beginning is the best reward I could dream of.
В Україні
In this series, you capture real people and situations, the youth you encountered on streets, at parties, in their homes, during your visit to Ukraine, a trip you had some time ago. How would you describe your interest in Slavic cultures? What do you think is the root of it?
I traveled to Ukraine from 2011 until last year, almost every year. I have a group of friends there and my best summer memories. I'm not sure where the roots of my interest in Slavic culture are coming from exactly. I know my grandfather was a huge fan of Russian literature, so maybe some of his memories are running in my blood. I always liked the language and visual culture.
You also studied the Russian language.
I started to be more interested after my first trip to Ukraine. Then I started reading a lot about the advent of Russia and the history of the USSR. Soviet history, and particularly the one of Ukraine, has shaken me. In the books, that speak about life of people who have been through so much, you can find everything that defines humanity. Learning the language was the logical step. You can't really say you are interested in a part of history, knowing you will go back again to a country without trying to learn the language.
Commissioned Work
What do you think is the secret ingredient that a photographer can use when working on commercial projects to assure that elements of his personal work and aesthetics are translated to it?
I don't know because I never really did pure commercial projects. I never worked for a brand, so I can't really answer. I worked as a commissioned photographer for movie sets: documenting fashion shows, portraying musicians... Then, it's easy to be yourself as people come to you because they already like your style. I don't know if it works the same when you are commissioned for something bigger. I think if you can allow this, the most important is not to change your style to please somebody's needs, don't lose your identity and integrity as an artist just for money. The most important for an artist is their integrity. Never pretend to be something that you are.
Upcoming Projects
What are your plans for this year? What are you working on right now?
I have a solo exhibition coming at Stieglitz19 in Antwerp in March, so I will spend my winter working on it. I'm also working on a new photography book, and I just started my fourth year in a Russian school. We are also planning to organize an exhibition of Congolese artists in Liège for the continuity of our AfricanVox project. And also, I'm going to become a mama for the first time for a little girl in April. So for the other projects, we will see how my new life as a mother will affect my work.
