Nia Delfau: the art of inhabiting the gaze
Between the Empordà and Barcelona, the photographer Nia Delfau builds an intimate and poetic aesthetic that runs through her home, her objects and each of her images.
Between the city and the sea, between image and memory, the photographer and visual artist Nia Delfau cultivates an intimate, luminous and deeply sensitive aesthetic. Her visual universe - where found objects, domestic details and Mediterranean atmospheres converge - is also the mirror of a way of inhabiting the world: slow, conscious, full of meaning. From her home shared between Barcelona and the Empordà, Nia constructs visual stories that combine intuition, memory and everyday beauty.
Tell us about yourself and your work. Where did your vocation start? Any first memories?
I am Nia Delfau, photographer and visual artist, born in 1983 in Barcelona. I currently live between the city and a small village in the Empordà. Since I was very young I liked drawing and creating images. That passion for capturing moments and building new visual gazes led me over the years to turn my artistic intuition into a profession, constantly exploring new visual languages.
What do you find most satisfying about your work, and any that you are particularly proud of?
I love collaborating with people I admire. I am currently developing a project with another photographer: a visual dialogue between two cultures. I can't anticipate too much, but the experience has been eye-opening in terms of creative openness, and I'm very proud of how it's taking shape.
What is your creative process like, what are your sources of inspiration, any particular music while working?
My creative process flows in conversations and silences in equal parts. I am very inspired by listening to my friend Marta Cascales Alimbau - her reflections on art and culture nourish me deeply. I also like to think that my images are born out of shared spaces and common emotions.
Favourite colour, film and record, in that order! ;D
Is your home a reflection of who you are.... favourite corner, objects, collection, pet...
My house smells of figs, coffee or the bougainvillea blooming at the entrance. My desk is my creative haven - surrounded by ceramic bowls salvaged from second-hand markets in Tokyo, unique spoons and cloth napkins that I collect.
We have wooden shelves designed by Jordi Casanovas which, when we moved, turned out to be as special as they were difficult to relocate. I am also accompanied by the wooden stoppers from Klas junto Apartamento, for wine or water, simple objects that transform the daily ritual.
And, of course, Leia, my partner's dog, who I feel is also mine: affectionate, social and always ready to share the final stroke of a homemade photo session.
If you could buy anything right now and take it home, what would it be?
Books. The more the merrier. Right now I would love to bring Carmen Winant's new titles for my personal bookshelf.
A great plan at home always includes...
Friends, Rafa's natural wine and a swim in the nearby sea.
Do you have a signature dish?
I cook less and less, but in my dreams I recreate the gnocchi my father used to make. I tell Klas: “One day I'll cook you gnocchi like his”.
Where is your favourite place in your city and abroad?
The sea is my refuge: I always choose it to reconnect. No matter the city, I always look for a beach, a harbour or a pier to listen to the waves.
Anything you want to tell us that we haven't asked you about.
I am looking for a studio to buy in Barcelona... but it is almost an impossible mission. What a frustration!
Where can we follow your work?
Instagram: @niadelfau
Web: niadelfau.com
