Artist Feature: Renata Crespo Suárez
Graduated Bachelor of History from the University of Havana in 2019, Renata simultaneously studied photography at the School of Creative Photography of Havana.
In 2016 she enrolled the National Geographic Photo Camp that took place in November of that year, as part of the cultural exchanges that were maintained during the so-called ‘‘Cuban thaw’’ (normalization of the relations between Cuba and the United States), started by the Obama administration.
Renata has participated in four group exhibitions and threw her first solo exhibition, ‘‘Unusual people’’ in April 2019.
“Renata Crespo captures with her lens everyday impressions of her surroundings including personal and family moments. With the freshness and pleasant style she highlights the importance of happiness in turbulent times.”
All images, except the self-portrait, belong to the series ‘’Men & flowers can coexist’’
Photos by Renata Crespo
Q: Can you share something you've learned from creating this body of work that would resonate with our community?
RC: A while ago I met a Dutch man who was ultimately the inspiration for this project. He would get sentimental and talk passionately about topics that are often not attributed to a ‘real man’s' set of interests. Getting emotional while watching the scene of a movie, for example, is not a manly behaviour and I have always been aware of this and other pressures that the established order in male chauvinist environments exerts on men. As someone who comes from a very ‘‘men don’t cry’’ society, the male figure has always lacked in fragility for me even though, I’ve always believed in the potential of women and men, equally. In Cuba it is almost impossible to escape from the indoctrination of male superiority, that is brought to us in micro-doses to our daily life. Most of the time we don't even stop to think about some specific behaviours because we are so used to following those patterns since we are little, that we don't even question them anymore. The identification and recognition of a term: Micro-machismo played a significant role in the motivation to start this project. The realisation of these commonly unperceived acts of violence taking place in everyday life against women in Cuba, was one of the first culture shocks I confronted once living in The Netherlands. It absolutely astounded me, so I decided to start a project wherein I capture manhood along with the delicacy of such a frailness symbol as is a flower. For ''Men and Flowers can coexist'' so far I have captured Cuban and Dutch men; friends I've met along the way who share the vision of the series, are committed to gender equality, and condemn toxic masculinity.
Q: Tell us about your work process! Do you plan your images ahead or are you more improvisational?
RC: This varies from work to work. There are series that definitely require more preparation and I definitely invest time in production and planning, but with Men & flowers the dynamic has always been more dilute. It normally starts with a chat with the model. In this moment get to delineate the idea behind the series and what I want to achieve with the images. We discuss a bit about it. Then we choose a place where to shoot and a type of flower with which the model shares a connection, either because brings a memory from his childhood or because is simply his favourite flower. For the rest we just have fun shooting.
Photos by Renata Crespo
Q: What types of expectations for artists are most challenging to you today?
RC: Something remarkable is the little chances out there for self-taught or emerging artist. A majority of open calls, exhibition, interviews and feature opportunities asks for submission fees. Some can be costly, which is a tricky condition for starting-up artist that are yet tussling to make a living out of their work. As a woman and as a mother, I have experienced how difficult is to reach to these opportunities in order to be able to promote my work.
Q: What is your advice to young and aspiring photographers?
RC: Never stop learning. Knowledge is the key that opens all doors.
Photos by Renata Crespo
Q: What does being a feminist mean to you?
RC: As someone that has an academic relation with History I recognise the weight that the ‘yesterday’ has over the present.Cultural changes are complex processes. Change the mentality of a society isn’t like changing its economic system; the first one is based on practices we have learned in our childhood and are passed from one generation to the other, thereby they’re more difficult to correct. This is why education here plays a fundamental role. We must acknowledge the story of bigotry and deference against women and from there, build the foundations of a future where the relations between women and men are guided by respect and equity.
Q: Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions, or news you'd like to share?
RC: I am currently preparing my exhibition for the Rotterdam Photo Festival, which will take place from 18-22 of May. This is a very special project that has been on hold since the beginning of the pandemic and we are finally going to enjoy very soon. Save the date!
Follow @renatacresposuarez and view more at renatacrespophotography.vsble.me
