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Andreea Andrei- Dear Diary... Lost In Traslation

Andreea Andrei is a visual artist based in the UK. Focusing on social documentary, Andrei uses both digital and analogue photography to explore the complex relationship between subject and photographer. Driven by youth and empowerment, most of her subjects are females because of an interest in women of different ages as well as the real situations women go through in their lives.Inspired by artists such as Nan Goldin and Helmut Newton, Andrei also prefers to document her own life in a visual diary that keeps her moving on from all the fears that a mid 20’s woman can feel, dealing with her own ageing process by studying other females.Andrei says how she is driven by the curiosity that lies between a real moment that unfolds before your eyes and how you can freeze that moment in a photograph. She's drawn to engage in personal projects that she can relate to, preferring to know the person and try to make a deep connection with the person before photographing them.​

“This project was born last year out of my frustration on being on the other side of the wall (Brexit vs. Immigrants) when after one year from the iconic vote in 2016 on leaving the European Union it hit me like an earthquake not knowing what this new status will bring me as an Immigrant in the United Kingdom.

It all started in the heart of Bucharest when I was invited at the BalKanik Festival (one of the largest Balkanik festivals in eastern Europe) to present my project formed of polaroid photographs of people I’ve met on social media of new/old friends and family.

That was when it hit me to start documenting my life on the both sides of Europe, where eastern side meets western side. Even if I was born and raised in the heart of Romania, beloved city and capital named Bucharest, three years ago another beautiful city/capital and heart of England became my home, that was London. These two cities are now divided in my heart and soul where east side meets west side and is always in a conflict.

It can be said that it’s a love - hate relationship that will go like this forever. In eastern European side we still have traditions that are from 200 years old. We still have those communists blocks and industrial areas that will never be forgotten.

Now after two years from the leave vote, I’m still not certain about my status as a citizen of United Kingdom nor of being a European citizen. It still confuses me on how things will turn after 2020 and how my career as an emerging visual artist in a city like London will go and where it will end up.”


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