Cintia Tortosa Santisteban

Cintia Tortosa Santisteban was born in Spain. She lives and works in Japan.

– Home and studio — together or apart?
My studio is everywhere I go. It can be my balcony, my home, a train or even a café. I like working on my pictures when I’m on the move, somehow the movement and background noise help me focus.

– Do you have any daily rituals?
Open the windows, tear off a calendar page, make some tea and look out from the balcony before taking the train to work.

– What is the first art book you remember?
I can’t recall any art books from earlier in my life but I do remember my family photo albums, there’s something magical about amateur photos. As an adult the first photobook I purchased was Underground by photographer Bob Mazzer.

– What is your studio/creative soundtrack?
I don’t listen to anything when I make videos or take pictures but when I am looking at what I did or edit I always listen to different kinds of music. The list is often changing but I always find myself going back to Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru and Kinloch Nelson.

– What is the favorite thing you have in your studio?
So many things I own are favourites: letters and prints from friends and family, ceramics, my collection of books…But if I had to choose, I’d say I love a swallow made from straw by Japanese artist Rie Yokohata and my plants in the balcony, they change with the seasons and regrow.

– Did you always want to be an artist?
I really wanted to be a marine biologist and an astronomer, so I decided to study English philology instead haha. Photography is a passion and a hobby of mine.

– What does a free day look like?
Always different, but it always ends with cuddling up to watch something silly while eating donuts or snacks. Life’s simple pleasures.