Tomas Reyes Photography
INTERVIEW WITH TOMAS REYES
Born in Cali, Colombia but raised in Paris, Tomas Reyes has lived in Bogota, and more recently in Tokyo, where he learned Japanese fluently. He has worked on Multimedia installation and photography for 8 years and has already exhibited in Colombia, Brazil, Japan and the U.S., worked as an artist, photographer, designer, creative, university professor/lecturer and business manager. He keeps a life journal with his reflexions, impressions, camera and digital sound recorder with which he is able to capture the body and voice of the many places he visits. Since April 08 Tomas ha been touring NYC, Brazil and Colombia with his exhibitions, lectured in Rio, Bogota (ArtBo 08), Medellin and Bogota again this past March during an international event on mobility organized by L'Institut pour la Ville en Mouvement in Paris.
Your inspirations?
The moments of communion with so many of us around the world through sharing stories, music, dancing, and singing. Finding the right balance between our cultural differences and our unity as a species.
Differences in your field working in Japan, South America and NY?
Whether it is contemporary art creation, commercial or documentary photography and leaving production details aside (which vary dramatically in those 3 regions!), I work pretty much the same around the globe: I observe, study cultures, interact with local people, and collect audiovisual material reflecting on how global change, urban transformation and human migration affect us at and individual and collective level alike.
I'd say the differences are always cultural, working with a team in Tokyo differs greatly from a production team in Cali, Colombia. Tokyo is a wonderful, floating and dynamic city which inspires me in many ways. And yet, I feel so at home in the Americas; the openness and warmth we find in this lovely continent always give me renovated inspiration. NYC of course is a unique global city in that sense.
Challenges of the industry?
Art & Photography are luxury items as opposed to basic needs, and in times of financial crisis things can turn quite challenging. I work freelance and love staying creative so that's part of the trade... a bit of uncertainty for freedom of movement and a creative lifestyle.
How would you describe your visual style?
Poly-dimensional
Favorite websites?
That's a tough one as I always have Safari and Firefox running simultaneously, each with about 60 tabs open...
Here are some of my favorites:
ted.com,gapminder.org,noorimages.com,viiphoto.com,
magnumphotos.com,amivitale.com,yogajournal.com
Dream project for you would be......?
To complete my work on global urban change and the relationship we have with our changing environment, called "So Many of Us" by adding Mexico D.F and Sao Paulo by mid 2010. Then take off with a great team for a couple of years from Marseilles to India (ending our journey in Kashmir) through Barcelona, Andalucia, Gibraltar, and the whole of the Maghreb, Middle-East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran).
Favorite projects you have worked on and why they are so special to you?
A handful of humanitarian projects on human migration and globalization in partnership with United Nations and IOM among other organizations, which started in Brazil, Colombia, and Nepal. I did a series called "Nonstop" which then gave birth to my latest project called "So Many of Us".
Best publications?
Those which are conceptually and visually compelling.
