Interview with Abstract photographer Marius Budu | MONOVISIONS

MonoVisions Black & White Photo Contest 2024

Marius Budu is a visual artist working with photography and digital compositing. He is currently based in Copenhagen Denmark and has been working with the nude form since 2006. Marius’ work has been exhibited in galleries and museums world-wide, earning him praise from art critics, collectors, the public, cultural publications and art communities.

“For me, the human body is the only medium with truly limitless potential for expression. I am constantly amazed by the incredible range of emotion and beauty that it is capable of depicting. Each person “speaks” in different ways with their body and that inherent ability and the stories being told is what I am interested in capturing.

I generally work in two ways: Either I come up with a concept and find the right person(s) to help me make it come to life or I get inspired by someone and make a series based on a concept that is specific to some aspect of who they are. I have been very fortunate to work with many open-minded, talented (and generally wonderful) people who have not only helped me create beautiful images but also helped open up many doors to areas of my psyche and creativity that I never knew existed. Every project is an intimate collaboration with people that put their full trust in me and for that I am eternally grateful to them. My art has taken me many wonderful places, it has brought incredible people into my life and it has made me who I am today.”

1) How and when did you become interested in photography?

I started off by writing poetry which was very visual so I started using stock photography to make images that would accompany the poems. I then got very interested in image manipulation and as I got more and more serious, I felt the need to produce my own raw materials. I bought my first camera, started clicking away and that’s how my passion for photography was born.

2) Is there any artist/photographer who inspired your art?

Not exclusively, in fact, other artists have had little to do with my art (especially at the beginning). That being said, I have always admired Salvador Dali and in my early years experimenting with digital art I became very fascinated by the work of Alessandro Bavari, he is a brilliant artist. There are lots of other artists I appreciate but I wouldn’t say they inspire my work directly.

3) Why do you work in black and white rather than colour?

I have actually resisted working in black and white for a very long time… pretty much since I started photographing actually. I am a great lover of color and feel that removing it from my work would create a handicap in the way I express my ideas and feelings. Last year I had a tough year and fell into a depression which led me to stop creating almost altogether. Early this year, when I started shooting again, I did this series called ‘Lament’ with the model Rubia Strigsi, which was a visual exploration of my recent experience and state of being. Black and white felt obvious, in fact, trying to do a color treatment on these images felt wrong.

4) How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph/series of photographs?

That very much depends on what I’m shooting. I have projects that take weeks, sometimes months of planning where I do full production plans, hire assistants, rent extra gear and so on. And then there are shoots where I just find a model to work with, they come into the studio and the shoot is an organic, almost entirely improvised process.
For me, coming up with the ideas is fun, doing the shoots is amazing because that’s when the ideas come to life and I ride that amazing creative high and then the post-production process is kind of like getting dressed to go out, not that much fun but necessary.

5) Where is your photography going? What projects would you like to accomplish?

I try not to think about that so much. This whole journey has been one hell of a ride mostly because it keeps taking me to new and exciting places. It constantly offers unique experiences and brings amazing people into my life. All of which I am extremely grateful for.

I am currently focusing on the ‘Dreamworld’ branch of my art, which this project is part of. I am increasingly fascinated by what I am creating and that has led me to start working on my first art film. I am currently storyboarding and gathering the talent and resources I need to realize the project.

Website: www.mariusbudu.com
Model: Rubia Stri: www.rubiasworld.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MariusBudu.Artist