MDRAFT Studio: Ane Gorosabel & Aitor Laspiur
Picturesque scenes from nature: deep-blue lakes beneath the bright skies, dense green forests with branches spreading as far as can be reached, and the sunny beaches, allow creating an atmosphere of unity between the person, the spirit, and the surrounding elements.
Nudity and the beauty of the human body is another recurring theme that comes across in MDRAFT's body of work. The personal connection developed during the photoshoots is critical for establishing trust and reaching far more intimate proximity to the character's story. Sensual and touching are the stories crafted by the duo, exposing more fathomless layers of the narrative.
MDRAFT is a creative studio based between Madrid and the Basque country. Founded by visual artists Ane Gorosabel and Aitor Laspiur, the studio provides services of creative direction and photography focusing on commercial projects and fashion editorials. Today WÜL speaks with the founders to discover the connection to nature and the Basque Country landscapes. Ane and Aitor discuss their long-lasting friendship, launching the mutual business, and the main themes in the projects.
‘Both of us are from the same town in the Basque Country, and we have always shared the same scenery and surroundings. Unconsciously, we both opt for green landscapes.’
Nature
There’s a certain connection with nature that can be encountered through a variety of your shoots. What do you love about shooting outdoors?
Ane & Aitor: We have always been interested in outdoors when it comes to photography projects. What we most appreciate about outdoor work is the fact that these places provide us and the models with opportunities to create some kind of a game between the place and the model.
What is your ‘escape to’ place you cherish, is it also connected to natural scenery?
Ane & Aitor: Besides, the most recurrent type of outdoor location in our work is the open landscape next to lakes or the coastline in the Basque Country.
What’s special about it?
Ane & Aitor: Both of us are from the same town in the Basque Country, and we have always shared the same scenery and surroundings. Unconsciously, we both opt for green landscapes and if it’s possible, next to the sea.
‘We choose to work with people we have previously worked with or with models that we already know and with whom that close bond exits.’
The Body
When you explore and photograph the naked body it's merged with the state of nature, changing the perception of the physical as normal, beautiful, and poetic. How do you think this type of work can influence perception?
Ane & Aitor: Among the different choices that attract our attention when we consider a new photography project, the nude is a recurrent topic in our work. The naked body and the figure give us the capacity to work in a more intimate and emotional sphere with the model.
What is important for you while on set working with models?
Ane & Aitor: Often, due to a short time in the sessions, we are not able to get close as much as we would like with the models, and that is why we choose to work with people we have previously worked with or with models that we already know and with whom that close bond exits.
‘We are working in a really competitive sector and sometimes losing motivation seems to be quite easy. Therefore, I think that keeping excitement for whatever you do and not being afraid of undertaking new projects is key in this world.’
Mdraft Studio
Let’s speak about Mdraft Studio. How was it founded?
Ane: Mdraft Studio was founded by both Aitor and I. It started thanks to the end of the degree project, which we decided to use to create an editorial together. I studied fashion design directed towards creative direction, and I decided with the end of the degree project to approach the editorial world and create a magazine.
Aitor studied audiovisual communication, and he focused his project on photography; therefore, we thought that it would be a great idea to fuse both of our projects. Throughout our work, we realized that our aesthetic preferences and the way we worked were really similar, so we decided to continue with this idea in the upcoming future.
What are some of your goals for the rehabilitation from the pandemic?
Aitor: This whole situation has created huge uncertainty in our sector. During these months, we barely have been able to create new stories, however, we have taken advantage of two things. First, we have analyzed the mistakes of the past, and second, we have decided what kind of projects we would like to undertake.
For now, we are going to continue with editorials, and we await the projects we were about to get started before the quarantine. This summer, we thought about creating a personal project in the Basque Country that we have already started to organize.
What would you suggest a person who is up to launch their business?
Ane & Aitor: Moving to the piece of advice directed to the person who feels ready to launch a new business, I would suggest they persist and trust in whatever they do. We are working in a really competitive sector and sometimes losing motivation seems to be quite easy. Therefore, I think that keeping excitement for whatever you do and not being afraid of undertaking new projects is key in this world.
Trends in Photography
Certain trends appear each time, while the most prominent and current ones are probably film and mixing the mediums. Which trends are you most interested in?
Ane & Aitor: The media that we both consume the most to create new projects are magazines, cinema, and webpages. At the moment, we opt for a restrained and natural style.
Madrid
How would you describe Madrid - as a city, as a creative scene, as a center of the brands and magazines you work with?
Ane & Aitor: Madrid is an incredible place to live in. It has a great creative scene full of people willing to do new things and undertake new projects. Nevertheless, it's true that many aspects of this sector are not valued. In this sense, we still have a long way to go so that it improves over the years.
‘The good part of working in pairs, either in a session or in other aspects of our work, is that it creates balance and understanding.’
Duo
How did you meet and decide to work in a duo?
Ane & Aitor: Curiously enough, we have known each other our whole lives. We were born in the same town, and we have been friends since we were children. A few years ago, we did not expect this project; however, everything came up naturally.
How do you affect the vision or the technical approach of one another?
Ane & Aitor: Regarding teamwork, each one of us contributes to different visions and concepts that we end up fusing. The good part of working in pairs, either in a session or in other aspects of our work, is that it creates balance and understanding.
Upcoming Projects
What are your plans for this year?
Ane & Aitor: We have concluded some professional and personal projects for this year that, hopefully, we will resume soon. The idea is to focus on the personal project to experiment and learn new techniques.
