Cristina Otero's Edible Self-Portrait
Cristina Otero, 17, was standing in her kitchen in Galicia, Spain when she was inspired to do a self-portrait series. "I've always loved eating fruit. One day I was eating an orange and I decided to take a photo with it." Soon she found herself taking photos with all the fruit she could find. Soon her photo series "Tutti Fruttiu" (which translates to "all fruits" in Italian) was born. While completing the series, she asked herself "If this fruit was human, what would it's personality be?". With this thought, she portrayed each fruit as a separate character using makeup and facial expressions.
Otero discovered her love for photography when a friend introduced her to "America's Next Top Model". "To me, all of that was fascinating, everything. The poses, the lighting and the makeup" Today Otero draws inspiration from the world around her. "Everything inspires me. I know it sounds clinché, but its true. Inspiration is everything, everyone and everywhere. You just have to pay a little attention. For example, as I'm answering your questions, I'm thinking about a photograph portraying a writer. If inspiration doesn't come, why not make a photograph portraying the lack of inspiration?"
Her advice to aspiring artists is simple and honest. "Many artists are scared to show their art to the world. If you enjoy doing what you love, who cares [what others think]? There are millions of people with different perspectives and opinions. Your art will be loved! Work on your flaws and experiment. Never lose the creativity and eagerness that made you start in the first place". Up next for Otero is a new series entitled "The Forgotten" where she represents "mythological creatures in their environments".
To see more of Otero's work, check out her Facebook page >here<.
Tutti Frutti
