Ibarionex Perello
“For me, this involves taking ownership of how we see ourselves, especially through works of art (photography, writing, painting, music, etc).
It’s about reclaiming how we choose to be identified, seen and related to.”
How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice?
My photography reaffirms that my experiences, my life and the way that I see the world matter. Even if it doesn’t reflect what most media showcases and promotes, my perspective, especially through my photography, has value and worth.
What do you want to say or address with your photography?
I hope to to install in the viewer that there is nothing that should be easily dismissed. Whether it’s a scene or people, there is value to be had. All that’s required is a shift in perspective.
What influences and inspires you? How is this reflected in your work?
Countless photographers. They have all challenged the way that I see and photograph the world. They helped me to explore ways of photographing that I would never have considered otherwise.
Who are your favourite Black photographers from the past? Why?
Gordon Parks, Roy DeCarava and Howard Bingham are legends in photography. Each defined photography on their own terms, creating images that documented and elevated their subjects in beautiful and stunning ways.
Please describe the highs and lows of your experience as a Black photographer?
The highs are usually the next opportunity that I get to make an image. The process is as intoxicating to me know as when I first made a photograph.
The lows have often involved moments when I compromised what I knew was right for myself or my work to accommodate someone else. The results were never satisfying.
What work are you producing and what more would you like to do?
I’m always working on projects. I am currently beginning work on another book of photography as well as some personal documentary photo projects.
Ibarionex Perello is a photographer, writer, educator and host of The Candid Frame Photography podcast. He has over 25 years of experience in the photographic industry.
In his role as host and producer of The Candid Frame, he provides frank, insightful interviews with some of the industry’s top established and emerging photographers. To date he has featured well over 500 conversations with photographers about what it means to lead a creative life.