We spoke to Alaska Stikova, Diego Martina and Nicolo Urbani about their 2023 degree show projects.
Alaska Stikova | I am a bothy, I am a bunker, I am a tent, I am a lodger.
Inspired by Isobel Wylie Hutchison and other 20th century female photographers in Scotland and their connection to landscapes, this series is a journey through an emotional landscape using metaphors of structures and wild lands.
Created by Alaska Stikova, the project is about the sense of security.
Alaska’s interest in bothies and the history behind them stemmed from drawing parallels between them and experiencing tough times in life. Bothies are remote and people seek refuge in them when the weather is bad outside, just like people seek solace when experiencing day-to-day difficulties.
Once this link was made, the images simply followed from there.
Metaphors run deep through the project, with Alaska describing the series as an emotional navigation through the modern-day journey of living through cost of living, housing, and relationship crisis.
Diego Martina | `Climbing Upwards’
Created by Diego Martina, Climbing Upwards documents and shares the story of a group of children who access free climbing sessions through a charity called Urban Uprising.
Diego’s film features children from Edinburgh who, over a 10-week programme, were given climbing sessions at Alien Rock in the city’s Newhaven with the aim of helping them develop new skills and confidence.
The film, which is eight minutes long, is a story about the training involving the children, volunteers and the climbing instructors. Diego observed many of the sessions, with the documentary showcasing the positive impact that this sort of activity can have on the children taking part.
Nicolo Urbani | `Tertulia’
Tertulia, Joining Our Creative Forces is a series of editorial fashion photographs.
Tertulia is Spanish and refers to a reunion between people to discuss art and science. Nicolo reconstructs this with a series of dramatic images, both in studio and outdoor settings, that portray young creative minds creating ‘fashion moments’.
The shots are bright, bold and vibrant. They have no clear theme, and no specific order to view them in. From creating a fashion runway near Arthur’s Seat and models featured in a doll’s house, to dramatic self-portraits, the diverse collection is brought together in a sea of kaleidoscope colours that stop you in your tracks.
Nicolo was both photographer and creative director for the project and has their eyes fixed on a career in the luxury fashion world.
With photographs like this, in the style of publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, you can see why.