Xena Magali
Amman, Jordan
Bio:
Xena was born in 1990 in Amman, Jordan. Since then she has moved several times to different countries around the world however for the past few years she has been located in Athens, Greece.
Her love for photography started when she was a little girl. Taking photos of everyday moments and small happenings in her life.
She studied Film and Photography while attending the Toronto School of Film in order to grow her knowledge as a photographer. During this time she began to be inspired mostly by cinematography in films and movies which lead to her developing her style as a visual artist.
She says that in the films she watched and studied there was always an image or several images, a moment or a scene that resonated with her.
The photos she takes rarely have a linear plot and are often made up of pieces of events and happenings that are highly symbolic and/or metaphorical.
She utilizes a variety of aesthetic styles and modes and believes she cannot be constrained to expressing emotions a certain way. We certainly agree!
Where are you from, where are you based now? Tell us a little about both.
Im Canadian, Palestinian and Greek. I was born in Amman, Jordan. I have lived in Jordan for most childhood years then moved to Canada however for now I am based in Athens, Greece.
How did you end up in Athens, Greece?
I was coming here for vacation every summer and loved it so much I decided to stay here and not go back, well at least not for now.
Tell us what you love/hate about the city, or how would you describe it to others?
I love it here, it is really easy meeting new people, lots of places to visit, great nightlife, really good food and lots of art. It was way easier for me to name the things I love over here.
What got you into photography?
It all began with my mom having film cameras and loving photography when i was a kid, so I guess it all started with having a camera at the house ever since I can remember.
How do you conceptualize and come up with ideas? Do you have a process?
It may begin with an idea, but sometimes it’s simply a hunch, or a feeling. I don’t clearly understand the evolution of the process a lot of times until the work is done, and I like to take my time working on projects, finding out where the work will go is what keeps them going. I like the freedom of how it can transpire during the making of the work.
Who/what are your influences as a photographer?
This is a tough one for me, I try to give out my original self in my work however I will have to say that I always find Cult Cinema to be one of my top influences. I get inspired by the colors and color mixtures as I use color to make a statement aesthetically rather than narratively in my photography a lot of the times.
Do you have any projects lined up you can tell us about?
I am currently working on a project although it has been a bit hard for me as an artist to keep creating during 2020 however I am very excited to say that this upcoming project could be my favorite so far. Stay tuned 😀
Where can we see your works online?
You can find me on instagram @zeenamag
