Cameras to me are like brushes to a painter

Meet Sebastian Donath, Berlin-based photographer. We caught him up at BURSA and asked a few questions.

What r u doing here, in Kyiv?

This is my first time in time in Kyiv. I was in Eastern Europe only as a kid, in Poland and this year again. I was asked by the jewelry label VIKA if I would like to photograph their jewelry for them. I did not hesitate as the offer to see Kyiv was very enticing. Unfortunately, I only saw the city from the taxi as we have been photographing all day. I will come back to see the city and the people. A creative director told me before my departure, Kyiv is like Berlin, 20 years ago.

What inspires you the most?

I try to capture all impressions unfiltered. I do not want fastfood, fastmedia and fast consumption. I love traditions, love routines, I love kitsch and let it guide me. My work is kind of the opposite, a reduced version of it, but also structured impulsively with the tick provocation and cliche. I only ate a few things as a child. Nowadays I try everything if it goes well with the impressions.

Who is your favorite artist?

Erwin Wurm and Martin Parr I appreciate very much. I love his perspective on humanity with the little wink of eyes.

What's your favourite meal?

I had two great evenings with great traditional food from Ukraine. I ate so much that I had stomach ache. I could not stop eating. I ate borsch, pelmeni, shashlik, caviar, and of course cake kyiv. I love eating fresh good tastes.

What do u appreciate in photography the most?

Photography is a part of me, to express myself and to change realities through my eye. Cameras to me are like brushes to a painter.