Francisco Gonzalez Camacho


Oasis, 2024,  pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in


MW : Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?

FGC : I am a Spanish visual artist currently based in Finland finishing a MA in Photography at Aalto University. I consider myself primarily a photographer, even on the recent years I am leaning more towards a broader approach through material experimentation and a variety of traditional printing techniques.



MW : How did your interest in art begin?

FGC : My first interest in art manifested early on in childhood through appreciation of music, but it wasn’t until later on when I found in photography a better way to express myself. I am the only artist of my family, but my father had some rangefinder and camcorder, which I liked to experiment with until I got my first camera.


MW : Can you talk a bit about your photography background in relation to printmaking, and the print-based processes you employ?

FGC : My background is in documentary and street photography, it wasn’t until the last 4 years when I have transitioned into fine art and a more experimental approach. I am now more interested in the printing side, photography and its quality as an object, rather than the picture-making side of it. I have worked with techniques like photopolymer etching, paper making, cyanotype and liquid emulsion, currently looking into exploring new techniques and handmade materials.

                       

   
Passage, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in

“Reverting reflects upon the profound material connection between the landscape and image-making, exploring environmental issues and the objectification of nature in Iceland. Developed in Reykjavík with the SIM artist-in-residence program, this project merges photography and printmaking through material experimentation, seeking alternative ways to engage with the landscape.

Issues like gentrification, waste, and environmental degradation, largely driven by tourism, challenge the idealized image of Iceland’s natural beauty. During my stay, I photographed highly visited natural locations, which I reinterpreted in combination with the creation of my own handmade recycled paper from waste.

This exploration mirrors the transformative process of manifesting something from the void —a form of alchemy of waste— with the delicate equilibrium of our environment, and the perpetual cycle it follows.”  FGC






1 Vatnajökull, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
2 Vik, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
3 Diamond, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
4 Through, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
5 Reverting, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
6 Reborn, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
7 Reynisfjara, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
8 Do(I)ce, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
9 Bleeding, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
10 Lull, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
11 Svartur, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in
12 Diced, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in

MW : How did being in Reykjavík and working within the SIM artist-in-residence program influence the conceptual or material development of this project?

FGC : SIM provided a very interesting space for exchange of ideas and networking with other artists. I came with an open-minded approach, wanting to try something new. Taking part at the residency definitely gave me the time to reflect and exclusively focus on experimenting during my stay, which lead to my series Reverting.

MW : Are there particular Icelandic landscapes, sites, or environmental concerns that stood out to you during your research?

FGC: Of special interest was Vatnajokull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe, which is rapidly melting every year.

MW : How have you continued this approach to image making beyond your time in Iceland? How have/might these ideas evolve in different landscapes or contexts?

FGC : After my time in Iceland, I haven’t made new work as such. I have been focusing on exploring new printmaking techniques, such as photopolymer etching with a residency stay at Art Print Residence, a printmaking studio in Barcelona. I have been also writing my thesis and preparing two solo exhibitions. Once the MA and exhibitions are done, I would like to create new work exploring these ideas further.



                                           
Glacier, 2024, pigment print on handmade recycled paper from waste, 9.84 × 12.99 in


MW : Do you see your project as site-specific, or do you envision its themes resonating beyond Iceland?

FGC : Even the series created in Iceland was site-specific, I would like to keep exploring these themes, which I think resonate with many other locations beyond Iceland, which suffer the impact of tourism and climate change.

MW : You mention manifesting something from the void—do you see the void as a space of loss, potential, or both in your work?

FGC : I understand the void and emptiness as a space that holds the potential for creation, almost as it’s
foundation. I don’t see the void as something necessarily nihilistic or with a negative connotation.

MW : What does your current workspace look like, and what is essential for you to have in your studio?

FGC : I don’t have a workspace as such besides my laptop, a good monitor, and a living room full of prints and framed works from previous shows, even I wish to have my own space in the future. For printing I use
university facilities, as well as other institutions. I would love to have my own darkroom and printing press.

MW : Do you have any upcoming projects or show? Or is there anything you would like to tell us about?

FGC : Currently, I am working towards two solo shows happening this summer at Valid Foto in Barcelona, and at The Griffin Museum in Photography in Massachusetts.


( This interview was conducted by Material Works (MW) in the spring of 2025 )  




>Francisco Gonzalez Camacho
>@frangccom