Collin Avery’s childhood memories influence his intimate and personal photos of isolated objects and places that seem to be lost in time. A cold atmosphere surrounds every composition, evoking a subtle silence that screams for self introspection. The American photographer takes us to his own world with a work that celebrates the beauty of nostalgia.
You were born in a small town in Massachusetts. Tell us, how did this affect you?
I think growing up in a small town has made me appreciate the subtleties that are often overlooked when living in a large city.
When did you become aware of your passion for photography?
I started to get into photography when I was about 13, but I didn’t start to take it seriously until I was about 20.
What type of cameras do you use?
All of my older work was made with a Wisner 4x5 inch Technical Field camera.
What strikes you the most from the objects you capture with your cameras?
What interests me is a sense of nostalgia and color.
Space itself has a strong presence in your work, what kind of relationship do you have with it?
I am interested in the spaces that exist just outside of the confines of human interaction.
There’s a cold and melancholic atmosphere in your photos. Why do you think is that?
I try to find beauty in unexpected places that aren’t necessarily considered beautiful in the traditional sense.
There are almost no human figures in your photos. Does that mean you are not interested in what people have to say?
I am more interested in portraying a human presence rather than actual beings.
Your compositions are all about the details. In the series called artifacts, you’ve created still lives with random objects impossible to link to each other. What’s behind them?
I made that body of work one fall while I was visiting my family back in Massachusetts. I wanted to use the objects as artifacts from my own personal history, in hopes to give viewers a glimpse into some of my forgotten memories.
Geometry is very present in your compositions. Where do you get that influence from?
Much of the geometrical influence comes from artists such as Sol LeWitt and Josef Albers.
How do you see your work evolving in the future?
In the future I see my work becoming more diverse, while experimenting with installation and sculptural elements.
