Photographer and Talent Maximilian Virgili – Interview by Melania Musci
Do you remember your first encounter with photography?
I don’t specifically remember a certain moment, but my parents always photographed and filmed me and my sister growing up, so there were always cameras around. We looked at photos a lot, but I was more into filming when I was younger. I got really interested in photography when I was around 19 I think, that’s when I bought my first DSLR.
What drives you more when taking a photo, the need to express yourself or the inspiration of the moment? How would you divide it in percentage?
I would say that strongly depends on what I photograph. If I’m randomly taking photos on a trip for example, I would say it’s 90% the moment and 10% expressing myself, even though the need to express myself probably also always comes later, when I go through the photos, edit, arrange etc. and have the urge to show it, share it – or not. If I arrange still lifes for example there is less inspiration of the moment I would say, because it’s carefully staged and takes more planning, crafting.
Your latest work, ‘Umarèl’, captures images you’ve taken in your city, Berlin. Could you tell us how this project came about?
Yes, it’s a series on construction sites in Berlin that I made in the years between 2017-2023. It probably started with a bit of random strolling, I was always fascinated by structures, architecture and how light shapes facades and objects. After a while I noticed that I stopped at construction sites a lot and observed them, even without a camera. So I decided to start photographing them from an outside perspective. The title UMARÈL came from the publisher of NEW DIMENSION, Ben Goulder, with whom I’m publishing a book featuring the work this spring. Umarèl are men of retirement age who spent their time watching construction sites. My dad is from Italy, so obviously loved the title.
Staying on this topic, how much do you feel the place where you live influences your work? Would you be interested in moving somewhere else and seeing how your photography might evolve?
I have the feeling the work was born out of not being influenced and inspired by Berlin. I was struggling a lot in the beginning to find Berlin an inspiring place photographically. But I think it pushed me to try and find my way. I am lucky enough to shoot in other places a lot, it is definitely inspiring.
If you had to identify recurring elements in your photography, what would they be?
Probably colour schemes, graphical elements, humor, warm light, flowers, trees, the sea, animals, food, sunsets.
How do you see the world of photography evolving with the rise of AI-generated images?
This is a really complicated topic. I guess it’s still early days, but what I found interesting is that you can do so much dangerous trash with it, and then there are artists who use it so brilliantly like Charlie Engman, so the range is like from 0-100. I have a rather dark view on it in general, I could imagine it will sweep out a lot of professionals, people will get paid less, more conformity and boringness on the market. But let’s see, hopefully I’m wrong.
Besides photography, have you explored other forms of creative expression?
I played piano all my life since I was five, that has given me a lot to deal with my emotions. I also love listening to classical music when photographing in nature, it is so cathartic.
This section of The Greatest focuses on handshakes that are breakthroughs in life. What was the handshake that significantly changed your path?
Hmm, maybe the handshake with Prada CEO Patrizio Bertelli before I photographed him for my first major assignment for Bloomberg Businessweek.
Are you currently working on any new projects? What’s next for you?
I’m working on a project on anxiety around death tied to religious belief. It’s still in the early stages, I’ve collected a couple of ideas and already have some images and video material, but I’ll need a lot more time to see where it’s heading.
One last question. Can you describe the last photo you took?
That was today, it was a photo of a broken tire on the side of the road.
