10 Questions with Elsa Faudé

Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE17 | Featured Artist

Elsa Faudé is a French photographer-author based between Barcelona (Spain) and Toulouse (France). Her production combines photography with video, installation, and literature at the borders of documentary and poetical approaches. Graduated in Fine Art Photography from the University of Los Angeles, California,  and the Institut d’Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya, she holds a diFerent Master of Arts in Fine Arts, Photography, and Literature from the Polytecnical University of Valencia, the University of Barcelona and the University Toulouse II - Jean-Jaurès. She realizes works where her wandering overcomes the frontiers between the environment, art, and body. In 2018, she obtained the UCLA Award Art Competition honor mention. In 2024, she received an accésit prize at the Luminic Festival Artists call, the Mark Grosset-SAIF award at Les Promenades photographiques, and the honorable mention of the Julia Margaret Cameron award in the category of fine art photography by Fotonostrum. Also, her work has been selected for the competition prizes Descubrimientos by PhotoEspaña and MPB-On stage photography by Photodoc. 

elsafaude.com | @elsie.fd

ARTIST STATEMENT

Elsa Faudé explores the photographic concept of transit to understand the construction mechanisms of identity, gender, memory, cultural territories, and personal mythologies. Playing with the processes of reveal and alteration, she converts photography as a critical tool to wonder about the dominant structures of the collective imagination, exploring the margins of representation. Utopic journeys, exile roads, and body metamorphosis inhabit these surreal visions, these odes dedicated to the marginalized, the forgotten ones, at the edge of dreams and reality. Hybrid dispositives generate latent and poetical images to reveal mechanisms of marginalization, invisibilization, and emancipation.

Kozmic Blues | Project Statement

In the Kozmic Blues series, the journey of Ronn, a Cherokee-origin blues(wo)man, embodies both the promises and disillusionments of the American Dream. Seeking freedom and self-expression, Ronn joins the 1960s California art scene alongside figures like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, finding refuge within the Beatnik culture shaped by blues, jazz, and voodoo spirituality. However, over the years, their Cherokee heritage, transidentity, and bohemian lifestyle exposed them to rejection and economic hardship. Priced out of Venice Beach by gentrification and facing financial challenges from the COVID-19 crisis, Ronn, at 80 years old, had no choice but to return to Kansas, their homeland. While reconnecting with ancestral roots in a final quest for self-realization, making the journey back empties the dream of the Californian promised land of its meaning. Nowadays, as they have no social insurance, they are selling their car, the last vestige of their free-spirited life, to pay for their diabetes medication. Ronn’s journey, from bright to dark, reveals how the dream of personal fulfillment collides with the forces of exclusion and marginalization in American society.

AL-TIBA9 ART MAGAZINE ISSUE17

INTERVIEW

Can you tell us about your journey into photography and the influences shaping your artistic direction?

My journey into photography was not a linear path but a meandering one, much like the themes I explore in my work. Growing up in a world where visual art and literature converged, I found photography as a perfect medium to express my thoughts. Photography allowed me to explore not just what is seen but also what is felt, experienced, and imagined. The key influences on my work have been the hyperrealist painting, the road-movie aesthetic, and surrealist imagery. I'm particularly inspired by artistic approaches at the intersection of personal narrative and larger political problems, using it to explore identity, memory, and perception.

You've studied at several institutions across different countries. How has this diverse background informed your artistic approach?

Studying in various countries, particularly the United States, France, and Spain, has been instrumental in broadening my artistic perspective. The diversity of these creative environments and the richness of their cultural contexts have deeply influenced how I perceive and engage with art. In Los Angeles, I discovered a vibrant space for exploration, where I began to formalize my photographic style. My studies in Spain and France enriched my understanding of cultural history and illuminated the ways in which art intertwines with societal narratives, providing a strong conceptual foundation for my work. This blend of global perspectives has heightened my sensitivity to the complexities of identity, geography, and history, as well as the fluidity of cultural boundaries—themes I frequently explore in my projects.

Your work spans photography, video, and installation. How do you decide which medium to use for each project?

The choice of medium for a project is often guided by the concept at its core. Certain themes call for the immediacy and impact of photography, while others are better served by the dynamic storytelling of video or the immersive experience of installation art. My work frequently delves into themes of transformation, movement, and deterritorialization, where the fluidity and change inherent to these ideas are often best expressed through video or installation, providing a compelling complement to the static nature of photography.

What initially led you to themes like identity, gender, and memory? Do you see a strong connection between these themes and your personal experiences?

These themes are deeply connected to my own experiences of movement, exile, and the construction of personal and collective identities. Evolving in a multicultural environment, I've always been sensitive to the ways that identities are fluid and influenced by the external world. The themes of gender and memory reflect a broader cultural search for meaning and belonging. I am fascinated by how our perceptions of ourselves and others are shaped by external narratives, whether they are familial, societal, mythical, or historical. These explorations are very personal to me, as I see them asuniversal structures that reveal the mechanisms of the collective imagination.

In The Kozmic Blues series, you explore the life of a character deeply intertwined with American counterculture.Can you walk us through how this project came to be? Did you base the characters on real people, or are they fictional? And what research was conducted to develop this series?

The Kozmic Blues project stems from my fascination with the 1960s counterculture in the United States, particularly its power to both liberate and fragment personal identities. While living in Venice Beach in 2019—a historic countercultural hub threatened by gentrification—I joined "Radio Venice," a Beat Generation collective preserving Beatnik culture. It was there that I met Ronn, a blueswoman, one of the last prominent local figures of the Beatnik generation.
The project blends personal stories with the rebellious and introspective spirit of the time. Inspired by extensive research into 1960s cultural movements, including Beat poetry, feminism, civil rights, and alternative lifestyles, I also drew from the era's visual and musical aesthetics, such as blues, jazz, and independent cinema.

On a broader level, your artist statement mentions a focus on marginalized groups and "exile roads." What do you hope the audience takes away from these portrayals?

My work seeks to highlight the voices of those who are often silenced. By focusing on marginalized groups and themes of exile, I aim to shed light on the complexities of displacement and belonging. I hope the audience reflects on the emotional and psychological toll of being on the fringes of society and perhaps even recognizes their own experiences of alienation. My ultimate goal is to create empathy and understanding, encouraging viewers to consider alternative perspectives and question dominant cultural narratives.

Your work has a fascinating mix of documentary realism and poetic surrealism. How do you balance these contrasting elements? What do you find are the strengths of this approach?

The balance between documentary realism and poetic surrealism allows me to explore both the tangible and the intangible aspects of experience. Documentary realism grounds the work in reality, providing social and cultural contextualization to transcend the every day and delve into the subconscious. This tension creates an ambiguous space between shadow and light, past and present, uncovering psychic mechanisms and inner projections tied to social and cultural constructions.

How has public reception influenced your work, especially when addressing sensitive social themes?

Public reception of my work can be both affirming and challenging, especially when addressing sensitive social issues. Positive feedback reinforces the relevance of these themes, while awareness of potential discomfort reminds me that art often needs to challenge boundaries. Topics like gender, identity, and social justice may provoke discomfort, but I believe this discomfort is essential for confronting difficult realities.

What do you think is the role of art and artists in addressing such themes? Do you think we collectively have the power to influence social change?

Art and artists have a vital role in shaping how we understand the world and ourselves. By confronting difficult issues and offering alternative perspectives, art can be a powerful catalyst for change. I believe that art has the ability to inspire empathy, raise awareness, and challenge entrenched power structures. While no single piece of art can single-handedly change the world, collectively, artists can build movements, spark conversations, and shift cultural norms. In this sense, art holds transformative potential, both on an individual and a societal level.

Lastly, are there any upcoming projects or new themes you're excited to explore in the future?

I am excited to expand my exploration into the intersection of arts, sciences, and technology, focusing on environmental themes. I am working on a project with an NGO that follows an expedition of women scientists and activists using innovative methods to save species endangered by "ghost nets" in the Mediterranean. The project highlights the ecological disaster caused by these nets, which entangle mammals, birds, and sea turtles. Additionally, you aim to continue exploring themes of migration and displacement, particularly in the context of climate change and global instability.