Vincenzo Forino
Naples, Italy
Bio:
Vincenzo Forino is a photographer from Italy and based in Berlin for the last five years.
Film photography opened Vincenzo up to an entire new world some years ago. Since then, it has been an escalation of experimentation with new mediums and new techniques in order to capture his dark, grainy, distorted and often dream like black and white works.
An often occurring technique Vincenzo uses is negative manipulations, burning and distorting instant prints, controversial developing processes, and cyanotypes prints.
He believes in the skill of photography as a vital part of the process which makes up the final resulting images.
Experimenting in photography is a never-ending journey in which one can only learn and discover unknown possibilities by embracing the unexpected.
Where are you from and where are you based now? Could you tell us a little about both?
I’m originally from Naples, Italy. I grew up in the suburbs, where there wasn’t much going on for me and it was very difficult to deal with that mentality.
I moved to England when I was eighteen for a couple of years and now I’ve been in Berlin, for four years. I’d like to move elsewhere at some point. I’m a restless soul.
What is inspiring you the most in these times?
The imminent power of the natural world is a theme which I have been inspired by. I’m working on that series at the moment.
Which is the main wound/feeling these past years left in you?
I believe some people are born with a specific internal wound. Something to understand, accept and deal with.
Making art can be the right tool to somehow express those feelings, and put emotions into something tangible. I find the process therapeutic.
I can feel intimate holy darkness in your entire way of seeing the world..tell us about your relationship with Black&White
I’m generally fond of monochromatic tones, and on a constant quest for a certain melancholic nostalgic feeling… At times my work can be soft and delicate, at other times, more raw and crude.
I’m very sentimental regarding black and white. It has surreal qualities that enable the viewer to reach a dreamlike state of mind. I like to detach from reality for a while and wander someplace else.
I love printmaking and the cyanotype technique allows me to reach beautiful blue or brown tonalities, with a softness that verge onto the painting aesthetic… Like dark impressionism.
I find it very interesting how an initial image can be morphed and transformed into something entirely different.
The more you extend the process, the more potentials there are.
How do you recognise a subject? What are your criteria?
It’s a mixture of visceral elements falling into a common point.
Its very important when working with human bodies to have an understanding of who is front of you, and what’s inside of them. When minds are aligned, the results stand out more, giving more soul to the image.
What are you working on at the moment? Any particular series or project?
Im working on a series of abstract landscapes and natural elements that I’ve been shooting in Italy for over a year, each time I visit. I would love to make a book out of it.
Where can we find you online?
Instagram @vincenzofrno
