Sinziana Velicescu
Where are you from and where are you based currently?
Los Angeles, California.
What’s your favorite part of living in Los Angeles?
I have grown to love Los Angeles, despite my initial outlook on the city, stemming from a lifetime of living here and desiring to escape, thinking I would maybe find happiness if I simply moved away from this bustling and traffic-filled megalopolis full of superficial industries that suck the life out of you. But no, I love LA. It is my home - I love the moments of “silence” spent in my car driving around on the weekend, listening to great radio (KPCC!), I love the fact that I have lived here my entire life but tried Ethiopian food for the first time last night on an adorable strip of Fairfax that I have always passed through but never stopped to explore. And I love the secret streets, the secret bars and after hours, the obscure Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, all the bizarre architectural landmarks hidden in plain sight, the historical relevance of old theaters and banks downtown now transformed into churches and clubs. I could go on forever and I still have so much more to explore, that’s what I love about Los Angeles.
What necessities do you require when shooting?
Camera, film, and sunlight––I pick a random neighborhood or area around Los Angeles and walk or drive around in it.
What is the most difficult part of the artistic process for you?
I need to be inspired by my surroundings in order to make good work, and sometimes the subject matter isn’t that exciting.
How do you incorporate chance in your creative process?
Yes, part of the success of my work is left up to chance. Wandering can be both magical and disappointing, that’s what makes it exciting.
I love the secret streets, the secret bars and after hours, the obscure Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley, all the bizarre architectural landmarks hidden in plain sight, the historical relevance of old theaters and banks downtown now transformed into churches and clubs.
Sinziana Velicescu
How has your work developed in the past few years, and how do you see it evolving in the future?
The themes of my work have been pretty consistent since I started dabbling in photography. At first, I was attracted to the same subjects over and over again but without really understanding why. Over time, I feel my work has become more focused. I’ve had to step back and think about what the purpose of it all is and what the photographs mean to me in order to learn the story about my own work.
Have you always done photography, or did you start in another medium?
I did not explore too many other mediums, I wasn’t exactly a good painter or illustrator though I took classes as a kid. I got into film and photography roughly around the same time, I have always understood photography better as I prefer less variables.
Are you formally trained?
No, I sort of fell into it after picking up my mother’s film camera. I studied literature and film in college. My father was an architectural photographer but never really mentored me in photography. I was always, however, exposed to art and art lessons of many kinds at a young age, and I am thankful for that.
Wandering can be both magical and disappointing, that’s what makes it exciting.
Sinziana Velicescu
How long have you been shooting with Medium format film?
About four years.
Do you remember the first work of art that captured your attention?
I don’t remember specific artwork, but my parents used to take me to LACMA all the time when I was young, and I was always really drawn to Rothko and Frank Stella paintings because they were bright and colorful, and that’s the kind of stuff kids would be drawn to in general. I think some of their influence subconsciously creeped into my work.
Is there any artwork on display in your home/studio? Whose is it?
I collect mostly graphic design-style paintings and graphic, experimental '70s and '60s abstract expressionist work.
Is there something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I played classical piano for 15 years.
