Behind the Lens: Cecilia di Paolo
September 1st, 2022
Interview by Kate Neave @katylovesart
Continuing our series Behind the Lens, arts writer Kate Neave speaks with Cecilia di Paolo to reveal behind the scenes of 5 key images from their artist portfolio.
When Cecilia di Paolo took over the Instagram feed of the brilliant Photoworks recently, her refreshingly playful images stood out. Shooting mostly self-portraits, her practice is fuelled by a love of the body and its relationship with everyday objects.
Cece works spontaneously with a digital camera, taking her viewer along with her on a visual voyage of discovery. The images she creates connect in with mainstream media portrayals of women but present us with a refreshing new perspective. We check in with Cece to learn more about her visual practice and the fresh, fun and challenging imagery she’s making a name for herself creating.
1) Made to be Loved
This image is from my first ever major personal project Made to be Loved. It was a three-year project designed to explore themes in my work.
It was actually all about sex dolls and the project helped me realise that I’ve always been interested in themes of love and objects. They just keep coming back in my work so I guess I’m going to have to go with it now!
This particular image is a self-portrait taken in a hotel in London. I've always wanted to make my work look timeless. So the setting is a super modern Nordic hotel but I’m wearing my grandma’s nightgown. It’s a slightly odd combination but I thought it was really great mix.
I think I really found my style in this project. It was a good few years where I just focused on it just for me, without having to think about who it’s for and who I’m pleasing. That actually is the best way to really find your style.
2) Furry Peaches
From that first ever project where I discovered my style, I found one of my main clients. I really love to juggle fine art with commercial photography and I try and keep my work towards the fine art side of things.
This picture I took for Locke Hotels and they’re a great client. They really let me be me and do my own style. It’s fantastic. This image is shot in one of their locations.
At the end of a day, if I have a little time, I close the curtains and I just see what I’ve got left around and I just take pictures really quickly for myself and this is what comes out.
The underwear is from Marieyat, a London based brand that I use in most of my pictures. The underwear has a really fresh timeless quality that I love and a really neutral feel.
3) OMY
This photo came about on a day out with my ex-boyfriend. He was really into cars and had taken me to a classic car meet up event in Newhaven.
Everyone was chatting about cars and looking at the engines and I was so bored but I saw this cliff in the background. I’d been there for two hours already so I got him to do me a favour and set up a shot with me.
I took quite a few pictures of me hanging out of the car and this is one of my favourite images because I feel like I've found the style that also works in my everyday life. I love the numberplate of the car, it’s just perfect.
4) Self-Portrait on Plinth
This is another self-portrait I made on a residency at The Muse Gallery. The residency was meant to last six months but because of COVID it ended up being a year and a half.
I shared a studio space with a painter and an artist that draws with chalk so it was very interesting for me. We had to come up with a show at the end which was kind of cohesive, but all about us. So I ended up just starting to use the space and this is one of the pictures that came out.
It was all about recreating Greek statues in a contemporary way. I just love the female form so much, like incredibly, I adore it and the male body, to be honest, I just love the body. So the aim was really, to make the image as simple as possible and just create an installation but with a human. The forms almost connect back to the peaches again. This is actually the first time I’ve seen them in it.
5) Hold it by the Limes!
I love making funny, humorous pictures. They just give me joy. But it's really hard because sometimes you get them wrong.
I think when you try to make them funny, that's when it goes wrong. It’s best to be spontaneous.
This image was taken at the same hotel as Furry Peaches at the end of a day. We had some props left and I was just thinking about what we can do. I found a curtain. Curtains add a bit of theatre and I thought about how can I make this funny. It reminds me of holding a man a little bit.
To make my best images I do quite a lot of research before I get a location. I think about the props and the styling, I might not use any of it but I like to have them with me.
I don’t plan the actual shots I’m going to take, I just see them all when I get into the space. I let the magic and the fun happen when I get there. I’m usually really quick. I’ve learned that if it doesn’t work quickly and I’m not feeling it then I just need to move on.
About Cecilia di Paolo
Cecilia di Paolo is an Italian artist and photographer based in London.
She holds a BA in Photography from the Arts University Bournemouth. In 2022, di Paolo held a solo exhibition of her work at The Muse Gallery, London and she has had solo shows at Roshi Gallery (2020) and Locke, London (2018). Di Paolo has shown her work in group exhibitions and screenings in the UK, Italy and the USA including at Image Nation (2021), Open20 Moving Image Awards (2020) and Brighton Photo Fringe (2020). She has published two limited edition photobooks to date ‘To the Ones I’ve Dated’ (2022) and ‘Made to Be Loved’ (2019).