María Sainz Arandia
Graduated in Belles Arts from the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Superior Technician in Art Photography from the School of Art and Superior of Design, she has completed her training in numerous courses and workshops with prestigious professionals such as Rob Hornstra, Alessandra Sanguinetti and David Jiménez, among others. His work has been recognized in several calls including the Culture Resident Scholarship of Artistic Research and Production of the Consortium of Museums of the Valencian Community, the Cidades na cidade creation program organized by CI.CLO Platform of Photography and PhotoEspa,a, the SOS Art and Culture of VEGAP Grants, and the Government of Navarre Aid for Creation in Plastic Arts and Photography Grant; and has been shown, in exhibition and audiovisual format, in Spain, Portugal and the United States.
Since 2007 she has worked in different areas of photography, was a founding partner of the collective and school of photography efedePhoto, and of the contemporary photography magazine VA!, of which she is coordinator and co-editor. Interested in using the image as a driving force for change, she has developed artistic projects in educational centers thanks to the artistic Resistances call, and participatory photography with groups at risk of social exclusion, in collaboration with entities such as the CEPAIM Foundation or the CREAP (State Reference Center for Psychosocial Care) in Valencia. She currently combines her work as a photographer, teacher and autonomous cultural manager, with the realization of personal projects focused primarily on exploring the relationships between human beings and their environment, on topics related to tourism, migration and territory.
Photography has meant since I discovered it, an alibi for my life. An ally to explore through it the relationship of man to our environment from multiple perspectives. In constant evolution, my current work is about dealing with territories, understood not only as geographical areas, where there is tension. Tourism and migration, natural and urban, reality and fiction. These binomies generate questions and serve as triggers for critical reflection on issues of concern to me.
Therefore, and on the basis of my work, I use various strategies that vary according to the projects. Importantly for the fluidity of the creative process, I try to continue experimenting and learning with each of them.
