Caro Campobello, the Argentinian young photographer, has used photography as a way to express her perception of the world since very young age. By hiding the faces of her models under masks and curtains, she uses the body of her muses as canvases for the work of art.

Unstoppable and fearless, Caro travels around the world to make the most out of her surroundings. She is constantly inspired by new faces and new places. Because of her sharp eyes and her refreshing approach, we predict a very successful future for the Mexico City-based photographer.

GATA team had the pleasure to talk to her a bit about her world and influences.

GATA: Hi Caro! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Who is Caro, and how did your relationship with photography start?

CARO: Hi Hi GATA Team, thanks for having me. I’m Caro Campobello, Argentinian born, actually travelling the world. I'm a cute Cancer, ascendant in Cancer, moon in Capricorn, ruled by emotions. My relationship with photography started from a very young instinct. My father used to film everything and you could find several analogue cameras at home.
Instinctively, I just grabbed one from a drawer when I was 13 years old and started shooting nonsense. By 15 years old, I was shooting my sister and best friend naked. Those photos quickly escalated at school and thanks to my art teacher, the great artist Nuna Mangiante; I did an exhibition for an IB degree, that caused big talk and controversy between schoolmasters. After that experience, it was clear to me that photography was my passion.

“Several of my photos speak of non-identity, which is at a point, related to the body. In many of them, you can appreciate figures: bodies without or covered faces and flexible and malleable bodies. This reflects the idea of the body as a simple container, the superficial suit that we see at first instance and can mutate, change, transform and be broken according to what happens inside: “An internal expression channel”. ”

— CARO CAMPOBELLO

GATA: Many of your captions are related to your feelings, sometimes you say that photography helps you to deal with many of your problems and emotions. Could you please explain to us a little bit more about how your art helps you in this way? Is your photography a form of therapy, or are your images a direct expression of your feelings? An inner chaos maybe?

CARO: I understand photography as my first way of expression. I see how my ideas, feelings and emotions come out as images. I also tend to see and feel like moving images, like living in a movie all the time. This feeling I find positive and try to maintain, analyzing life experienced as a viewer and trying to find beauty in all, good and bad. I can't keep that for myself. I found photography as the best medium for expressing and sharing all that happens inside, I could call it catharsis too.

GATA: Your images have a strong personality, very dynamic, and expressive. Are you directing your shootings on your own? If so, where do you get the inspirations from?

CARO: I find inspiration in almost everything. It's a kind of lifestyle, deeply analyzing and picking things and making stories around them. Inspiration can come in the form of an object, a colour, a person, a conversation and most of the time emotions.
I also like to improvise a lot, when I share a set and creative direction with Cristian Lobos (creative director and stylist), who I made a team with and worked with a lot; he taught me how to flow with the moment.
Several of my photos speak of non-identity, which is at a point, related to the body. In many of them, you can appreciate figures: bodies without or covered faces and flexible and malleable bodies. This reflects the idea of the body as a simple container, the superficial suit that we see at first instance and can mutate, change, transform and be broken according to what happens inside: “An internal expression channel”.

The concept or internal content is much more important, so I like using postures that go against what the eye normally expects. I play with postures that go against gravity, for example, people facing down, who seem to float in space, bodies locked in suits or that seem to suffocate. A quest to break the canyons to achieve something new that is equally beautiful from another perspective. The proposal of a parallel reality.

“Artists such as Ana Mendieta, Marina Abramović, Carolee Schneemann and Olivier de Sagazan are great references for me, in terms of the use of the body as an expression channel”

— CARO CAmpobello

GATA: You have done a lot of stuff so far, in many different countries and places. We would love to hear more about your photography adventures, and how your passion brought you to so many locations!

CARO: I guess, I take my passion everywhere I go.
Living without passion is not an option for me, I need that kind of intensity.
I decided to leave home two years ago and have been travelling since then.
I boosted my career while doing so and I’m grateful for having the strength to do it. I love to travel and inspire myself from new experiences, people and places.
I would love to keep on taking my art all over the world.
I'm now based in Mexico City and coming and going from here.

GATA: How is the photography scene in Argentina? Is it easy to be a young creative there?

CARO: From my experience, it was tough: closed circles and low budget, add in the economical and socio-political crises. I found myself stuck and not being able to grow. That's why I decided to leave two years ago.

GATA: Are there any artists that have influenced you and your style?

CARO: I can say the Body art, Land art and Performance art movements influenced me a lot. While doing that exhibition at school, I wrote a monograph that covers this topic; The body as a support-canvas for the work of art.
This continues to be reflected in my work, and artists such as Ana Mendieta, Marina Abramović, Carolee Schneemann and Olivier de Sagazan are great references for me, in terms of the use of the body as an expression channel.

GATA: What does 11:11 mean to you? We saw this number many times in your Instagram feed.

CARO: I have a strong connection with numerology and signs. Numbers come to me in the form of signs and messages. I see them as a guide from the universe. I know for example, if 22 is following me, it’s a sign that I'm not on the right path or doing what I have to do. Instead if 11:11 or 33 appears to me, it's a positive and powerful sign; it bodes well. It's a way of being conscious of my spiritual self and my connection to the universe.

GATA: GATA loves cinema, and we deeply believe that cinema can influence people and their lifestyle forever. Could you share with us three different movies that have left a mark on you?

CARO: I can say every movie from Gregg Araki has influenced me.
Some of my all-time favourite movies are: Party Monster, Holy Mountain, Chungking Express or The Cell. Road movies like: My Own Private Idaho, Natural Born Killers or Paris, Texas and CAN’T MISS some Giallo from Dario Argento or Lucio Fulci.