Paloma Tendero: Failure is Part of the Process
Welcome to the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast! In this episode, host Angela Nicholson, founder of the SheClicks community, speaks with the innovative visual artist Paloma Tendero. Known for her work that explores heredity, illness, and identity, Paloma shares her unique experience and offers insights into her creative process.
Paloma Tendero is a Spanish visual artist and photographer based in London. Her artistic journey began at the age of ten when she received a compact camera for her communion, igniting her passion for capturing moments. Her grandfather later gifted her an SLR camera and she joined a photography class where she learned to develop film in a darkroom. This solidified her love for the art form, eventually leading her to pursue a degree in Fine Art in Spain and a Master’s in Photography at the London College of Communication.
During the podcast, Paloma shares how her background in fine arts influences her photography, creating a seamless blend of visual storytelling and conceptual depth. Her work is heavily influenced by her personal experiences with illness, including a hereditary kidney disease that connects her to her mother and grandmother. Paloma's art becomes a means to explore these connections and process her emotions, making her work deeply personal and resonant.
Paloma Tendero’s photography is more than just visual art; it’s an exploration of themes such as illness, heredity, and identity. Her projects often examine the body's changes and challenge the notion that health is the natural state. In her current project, 'Shifting Bodies', part of the 70:15:40 Project, Paloma delves into these complex themes by questioning the dualities between health and sickness, inside and outside, self and other.
In this episode, Paloma reveals her creative process, which includes the use of recycled materials to create sculptural elements that interact with her own body in photographs. These elements represent the physical and emotional weight of her themes, creating a dialogue between the artist and her work. She also experiments with expired film, adding a dreamlike quality to her images that echoes the unpredictability of life and illness.
Paloma discusses the challenges she faces as a female photographer, particularly the confidence gap she perceives between male and female artists. She emphasises the importance of self-belief and persistence, encouraging other female photographers to seek opportunities that align with their vision and to embrace failure as a natural and essential part of the creative process. Her candid reflections highlight the ongoing need for support and empowerment for women in the photographic industry.
As someone who has faced and overcome numerous challenges, Paloma Tendero offers valuable advice to aspiring female photographers. She encourages them to persist in the face of rejection and to focus on projects that resonate with their personal and artistic goals. Her belief in the power of perseverance is inspiring, reminding listeners that success often comes after numerous setbacks.
Connect with Paloma
Website
Instagram
MPB
This podcast is supported by MPB, the world's largest platform for used photography and videography kit. MPB has transformed the way people buy, sell and trade equipment, making photography more accessible, affordable and sustainable. MPB is proud to partner with SheClicks to help support women photographers and their work.
