My current work arises out of a necessity for connection and communication, a feeling that was born when I moved to a country away from everything that was known to me – a different language, an unfamiliar culture, no friends, no family, but full of a million ideas.
This was reinforced with the beginning of a pandemic. I’m an introverted and visual storyteller so I drew on those characteristics, which is to say, I started connecting with people through my images, expressing how we relate to certain themes, experiences, and thoughts. My creative process begins with a feeling or an idea that I need to unravel, and from there, it starts taking form and transforming into an image. I break down commonly accepted archetypes, then reconstruct their inherent concepts using surreal symbols and characters. My philosophical and spiritual explorations probe concepts of rebirth, the cycle of life, balance, resilience, magic, and mysticism, always seeking to address intriguing notions of perception and dreams chiefly making use of both self-portraiture and photomanipulation.
Beyond simply taking a picture, I photograph my selected pieces to create the image I have in mind. And if I don’t find all the pieces, I paint them or create props if need to. When all the pieces are ready, I am free to start my favorite part of the creative process, bringing them all together in photoshop, which for me is where I finally get to tell the story. Typically, my work manifests animals as representations of human emotions and characteristics. These symbols and characters may include crows, deer, owls, vampires, or mystical goths populating a world of shadowy romantic fantasy. To set the mood in my pieces I’m drawn to dark but vivid pallets. Dark colors have a sense of mystery, enchantment, and tranquility for me that work best with the narratives of my images. I believe that darkness is not something bad or something to be afraid of, it is something that obscures our vision, something that we have to bring to light. Although my work is certainly an artistic expression of self, I additionally welcome viewers not to
simply observe my world, but to join and participate in it. These creations invite observers to seek and see beauty where it is not expected, relish the magic in the mundane, and follow their curiosity by joining me in an exploration of dreams, reflections, and ideas, while inspiring them to cultivate their unique personal interpretations and meaning through the encounter.
About Giovanna Viola
Giovanna Viola is a Chilean-American fine art photographer and visual artist. Through her creations, she elicits surreal experiences using an array of techniques. These conceptual realities are motivated by explorations of the rare, of the bizarre, and of a wish to inspire the viewer to seek new realms and experiences. Among her preferred media are photography, painting, sculpture, mixed-media and photograph manipulation.
Throughout her childhood in Chile Giovanna was excited about creating with her hands; she worked with wood alongside her father and crafted with her mother, sharing the satisfaction of conceiving and designing distinctive products. In her teens, she was drawn to the complex and multi-faceted art of filmmaking. Following this passion, Giovanna then immersed herself in the study of Cinematography, earning her degree in 2013 from the University of Arts, Sciences, and Communications (UNIACC) in Providencia, Chile. Through her university studies, Giovanna fell in love with visual and digital arts. She developed a special excitement for symbolism and surrealism, their power to reconcile dreams and reality, and was captivated by the beauty of communicating without words. Seeking fresh inspiration and a wider realm for artistic endeavor, Giovanna relocated to the United States in 2015, settling first in Massachusetts. While adjusting to a new world and learning English, Giovanna decided to pursue her fervor for conceptual photography. She hasn’t stopped since! Currently lives and works in northern Virginia in the United States. [Official Website]
