Wish You Were Here... Marcelo Gomes

Known for his hazy landscapes and dream-like compositions, Marcelo Gomes is a photographer who specializes in capturing a mood. Who better, then, to share with us the magic of a trip to New Zealand? Taking us along for a holiday on the Kiwi isle, Marcelo shares his personal snaps and tells us why Brian Eno is his travel guide of choice.

Where were you on this trip?
I was in New Zealand for three and a half weeks.

Do you prefer to travel alone or with company?
I prefer doing and seeing things with company.

How would you sum up what you do in a sentence?
I’m an artist.

What are your favourite kinds of places to travel to and why?
I love cities, I love nature. I’m from a beach town and I think beach trips are my favorite!

Anywhere you dream of visiting someday?
New Zealand was a big one, so it was lucky I got to go there. I think my number one desire is to visit Egypt. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I read ‘Flaubert in Egypt’ recently which blew my mind, and Brian Eno talks a lot about his trip there in ‘A Year With Swollen Appendices’ which I reread recently as well — I took these as a sign that I need to go. I also really want to visit Tehran.

“I begin a photograph by just taking a picture of something I want to remember, or that I want to recontextualize later”

How do you begin a photograph?
I don’t think about it too much, a lot of the thinking happens during my editing process. I begin a photograph by just taking a picture of something I want to remember, or that I want to recontextualize later (again, editing process.)

Other than photography, what do you like to do?
I like to read. I really like sitting around a table with good food and wine and talking to friends (new and old) about books, life, relationships, friendship, plans, funny bits…  I like to go dancing!

Where are you from and where do you live now?
I’m from Brazil, and I live in New York City now.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a diplomat.

What did you do on your last day off? 
I think I went for a big walk in the sun, and ended up in Chelsea looking at art?

Who do you most admire?
I most admire Caetano Veloso.

What's the last dream that you remember having?
I had a weird one last night but I don’t think it’s appropriate for print. 

If you could ask anyone a question, who would you ask, and what?
I think I would ask Caetano Veloso most of, or any of my fantasy questions.

Describe yourself in three words…
Large, Available, Interested.

What’s the most surprising thing we’d find out if we looked at your phone?
There aren’t THAT many pictures on it actually.

“Oswald de Andrade, a Brazilian poet, was once reported to have said: ‘The only kind of realism possible in South America is surrealism'.”

What is your favourite fun fact?
It’s not my favorite but I think it’s what most people find funny about me. I played division one basketball at The University of Iowa.

Favourite thing to eat?
It changes a lot, but right now it’s brazil nuts and dates.

Least favourite thing to eat?
Broccoli.

Best quote?
Not sure it’s the best, but something I read recently and stuck in my mind. Oswald de Andrade, a Brazilian poet, was once reported to have said: ‘The only kind of realism possible in South America is surrealism'.

One thing you can’t live without?
Movement.