Andréa Katzeff is a Cape Town-based contemporary photographer whose work has been inspired by the tumultuous emotions induced by societal norms and expectations. Recognised in her field for her unique art style, Katzeff consistently delivers provoking work which incites conversations around lighting, emotion, process, and style.
She creates an uncommon friendship between darkness and light, capturing her subjects through a lens of empathy. Her work is summoned through her own experiences, emanating a cinematic and dark undertone. Growing up with the ocean, forest, and mountain as her playground, her work is filled with adventure and the essence of the heart.
“As a child, I struggled with the idea that the day would come to an end, therefore I found almost every sunset would pour a flood of melancholy upon me, drowning me in the inevitable darkness. However, I soon took on a new perspective after I learnt that the sunset would bleed into a sunrise, allowing for a new day, new opportunities and most importantly, new adventures. I realised that darkness and light compliment one another through their inherent polarities.”
Having received a degree in English literature at the University of Cape Town, poetry serves as an imperative aspect of her work serving as inspiration for how Katzeff approaches a project. “most of my work is based on poems I have written, my stills look like shots from a movie scene for a reason”. Katzeff’s work is very relevant but still seems to have a sense of art and timelessness to it.