We caught up with the brilliant and insightful María- 7limones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
María- 7limones, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
“Arctic Diary” is an ongoing long term personal project where I explore the margins, solitude, and ice within the isolated landscape of Arctic lands.
Typically, people go to the Arctic for grand expeditions, and I wanted to approach this place in a more emotional, and intimate manner, embarking on a solitary journey with my camera.
While photographing this area, the landscape become visual metaphors, that reveal my inner emotional world.
The idea for this series was inspired by reading Ovid’s “Heroides,” a collection of letters where women express their feelings as they where left behind while their men embarked on epic adventures.
These women, facing solitude and abandonment, wrote letters to their beloved ones seeking for an answer.
I embark on my odyssey, aiming to challenge the traditional narratives of expeditions, crafting my own one.
Back home the photographs are brought to life through an artisanal screen printing process, embodying patience and solitude.
Screen printing for me is not just a reproduction technique, but a medium that reflects the very essence of the project.
“Arctic Diary” It’s a dialogue between her inner landscape and the Arctic landscape, inviting viewers to embark on this Icy poetic journey.
María- 7limones, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Maria, known artistically as 7limones.
I’m an emerging visual artist from Spain, with a Fine Arts degree from Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid and Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.
I use my camera as an excuse to explore places and stories, experiencing the world in a deeply personal way.
Inspired by my grandfather, a photographer and pilot, I grew up surrounded by his passion for photography and traveling.
I began my creative journey with backstage photography in the fashion industry, magazines, art projects, art fairs… always eager to see and understand things from the inside.
Another significant aspect of my work is what I call travel diaries, where I capture and share stories and my personal view.
On Each project I look to create pieces that resonates on an emotional level.
My mission is to connect with people’s emotions, inspiring viewers to dive into my stories.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
For me, the most important aspect of my creative journey is maintaining my creative freedom and ensuring that my projects reflect my own vision and values.
When I complete a project even if its something not very relevant, it’s essential that I feel identified with it, even if others don’t fully understand or appreciate it.
In the art world, particularly when artists seek to commercialize their work in the art market or the contemporary art scene, I feel that there’s often a tendency to succumb to mainstream representations, recycled narratives, and repetitive discourses.
This pressure to conform to trends or predictable storylines where artists are not genuine with their own vision, in my opinion, homogenizes artistic expression
.
I believe that art is far more free and deep when it defies expectations and challenges the ordinary narratives. Artists should be the ones driving their own work.
So I would say, my goal is to resonate with what ever I create, and align with my values. This personal connection and freedom is what drives my creative journey and ensures that my work remains authentic and meaningful.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Absolutely. Inspiration it´s a magical thing, it can pop up in the most unexpected ways, there are a lot of things that shape our thoughts and creativity. For me, it’s a beautiful mix.
From the sensitivity of so many talented photographers like Sarah Moon or Hannah Reyes Morales or Diana Markosian.
The compositions and portrates of painters like Amrita Sher-Gil or Tamara de Lempicka.
As well literature is a huge source, the personal narratives of Anaïs Nin and Annie Ernaux.
And when it comes to movies, the experimental films of Carolee Schneemann. They’ve sparked my curiosity and to try new things.
Maya Deren as well, there are so many sources of inspiration that I have to stop at some point…
Beyond this more traditional forms of inspiration, I also find a lot of value in everyday conversations, specially discussing creative ideas with people from different backgrounds and perspectives can be incredibly inspiring for me.
It’s amazing how a casual chat can spark a new idea or provide a fresh perspective on a project.
At the end, it’s this unstoppable curiosity and love for creativity and expression.
I think that what influences me today might be different next year, and that’s a beautiful aspect of the creative journey. Is this ever-changing landscape of inspiration and obsessions what keeps me and my work dynamic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://7limones.com
- Instagram: @7limones
- Other: mail: [email protected]
Image Credits
7limones