Now for something completely different

Peter Dench talks to Alnis Stakle, winner in the creative category at the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

- Peter Dench

‘Art is a way to survive. I like work. I don’t see it as something complicated or hard. I like to be an artist. It’s like breakfast or gym,’ explains Alnis Stakle. Born in 1975, Alnis is a Latvian artist, photographer and Assistant Professor of photography at the Riga Stradinš University department of communication studies. He holds a PhD in art education from Daugavpils University. ‘I teach photography, mostly theoretical things about photography, about communication, ideas related to photography, history.’

I’m talking to Alnis via Zoom about his series which won the creative category at the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards. He was surprised and delighted. I’m not sure if it’s the language barrier, intermittent internet connection or his kids playing noisily around him but by the end of the conversation, I’m not much wiser on what the series is about. Which isn’t necessarily unintended. Alnis’s collages go round and round posing more questions than answers. ‘I try to create an environment, set a stage on which I bring many images. I don’t think I have expectations for one fixed meaning or one fixed mood for the viewer,’ I’m pleased to hear him say.