Today we’d like to introduce you to Andres Avellaneda.
Andres, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Started with photography a year ago. My country has been suffering a dictatorship (officially) since past year and that was what made me go to the streets with a camera. Documented the entire rally between opposition activists and government security forces for over 120 days with a helmet, vest, gas mask, 50mm, 8mm and 5d mk III. It taught me so many things such as perspective, courage, resistance, creation. Creation as making a war look like art. Translate what I was shooting as my feelings, my vision, my sadness, my frustration, my collaboration with my people and my country, my suffering and the suffering of 30 million people, the suffering of a kid that gave me a bill for me to give it to a guard because I was able to reach them as press photographer, the one with the lowest value (2 BsF), which had written on it “Por favor guardia, no nos maten” (Please guard, do not kill us). A message that told me how my country was and it is still agonizing. Once it stopped, I felt so attracted with street photos, visited Chicago, Miami, lot of cities here in Venezuela making photos, but even more with the sea. I loved to create visual arts composing a picture with my hands, objects, flares, foregrounds, so I decided to get into the ocean and start to make art with it. Now, I do underwater photos, split-shots, and surface, waves, drops detailed photos.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it hasn’t. I got beaten while the protests by the guards, lost a camera, had to stop what I was doing for my country, couldn’t be able to keep documenting. The process of growing has been slow because out there is so many arts competing with yours, so it’s not easy to shine. The struggle to create fast and be radically different is always present. That’s why you have to push yourself harder every time.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Burns | AZ story. Tell us more about the business.
I dedicate myself to the ocean right now. I feel deeply in love of what I photograph. I could be into the water for hours and hours and just keep doing it. It’s crazy what you can find when the waves are doing their thing and moving as they just know how to. Also what you find when you go 30 feet underwater with your camera. Ocean and my soul made a connection since the first moment I entered with my 5D. Me and my family had an accident on a boat in 2009. I was in the bow and suddenly a 10 ft wave just came out of nowhere, the boat crashed with it and I cut my whole chin hitting with the edges. My sister flew out of the boat; everyone was scared and terrified. But right now I feel special, also thankful with God for have given me the opportunity to connect with something that big and something I was so afraid of.
Taking tons of feelings to my people, the Venezuelan people who had to leave their country for the circumstances, through my captures printed on frameworks when they hang them on their walls is just beautiful. Being someone with the capacity to make a person remember and “touch” a piece of their land makes me the most proud person ever and the luckiest person because I’m just 21. And if I can do this at the moment, I can’t imagine how much more my passion will take me to keep connecting souls and moments.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Far. Much further than I can imagine. I am developing a brand called “hawaiira” with four incredible guys who are giving 100% for it and our north is very clear. The Caribbean is waiting for us.
But with my art, I have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I do not know him, but he is the one who has inspired me the most. My mentor not so mentor: Ben Thouard.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1541 Brickell Ave
- Phone: +584241815319
- Email: andreesvz@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andresavellanedaz
Image Credit:
BURNS | AZ
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
