INTERVIEW WITH:
ENZO SEBASTIANI
Textures, Stillness, and Noise: Enzo Sebastiani’s Urban Lens
For Enzo Sebastiani, street photography is more than a way of documenting city life—it’s a means of uncovering moments of quietness in the midst of chaos. Speaking with Cluster London, he reflects on his fascination with unnoticed details, his evolving use of collage and video, and the next steps in his artistic journey.
From peeling paint to layered posters, his work highlights the hidden narratives embedded in urban spaces, challenging viewers to pause and appreciate the beauty in the everyday.
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Hi Enzo! Your work seeks to reveal stillness and beauty in urban spaces. How did this focus on quietness within city life develop, and what initially drew you to street photography as a medium?
Since I started taking photos as a teenager, I’ve always been fascinated by documenting what’s around me and capturing what often goes unnoticed. Growing up in Caracas - a city full of chaos and energy - photography became a way for me to pause and focus on the smallest details. I think this perspective has stayed with me, and now I find myself drawn to uncovering particularities and moments of stillness within even the most convoluted places.
Your project Finding Quietness in the Noise captures calmness amid chaotic urban settings. How do you approach this balance between noise and stillness in your work, and what do you hope viewers take away from this contrast?
I feel this is a lifelong project, but recently I decided to give it a name. It might grow and evolve into other projects, but it’s definitely at the core of what I’m doing right now. Many of my photos contain a lot of visual ‘noise’ or information, but my aim is to present it in a way that feels slow, or even cinematic. I also believe that when a viewer pauses for a few seconds to truly look at my work, they create their own stillness - a moment where everything else stops. That interaction elevates my work to its highest form.
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Your work combines street photography with inventive video editing and collage. What led you to incorporate these techniques, and how do they enhance the stories you tell through your images?
I’m naturally curious, and I believe the best way to grow is by experimenting with new things. Not everything you explore will feel right, but some of it can help you take what you love to a new level. I’ve always loved painting and collage, so I’m constantly thinking of ways to blend these with photography to create something fresh. I enjoy looking at my photos from different perspectives - peeling back their layers to find elements I can play with. Collages often involve adding new elements to create a narrative, but sometimes I prefer breaking apart what I already have and reassembling it into a completely new composition.
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Your project Finding Quietness in the Noise is a work in progress. How has your perspective on this project evolved over time, and are there new themes or techniques you’re interested in exploring as it develops?
I think video is definitely the next step. Some of my photos already feel like they’re in motion, and I’d love to bring that to life through videography. So far, my focus has been on spaces and the traces left behind by human activity, but I’d like to turn my attention to the people themselves. Filming conversations or interactions with them could evolve into a short documentary. It feels like more noise than quietness might be next- but in the best way possible!
A defining aspect of your photography is the attention to textures and overlooked details. How do you decide which details to focus on, and what role do these subtle elements play in conveying the essence of urban spaces?
I’m instinctively drawn to certain things: a wall layered with posters and flyers, a corner revealing years of peeling paint, or an accidentally misplaced object that forms the perfect composition. These details speak to my eye; they demand that I stop and pay attention. It feels like a language I’ve developed for myself.
Sometimes I challenge myself to notice what I might otherwise overlook. I believe we often miss the details in our surroundings without fully realising their impact on our environment, whether for better or worse. That’s what fascinates me most: how urban spaces are subtly constructed from countless messages in various forms. This becomes even more intriguing when travelling, as you start to notice how different elements, textures, colours, or objects, not only shape a place’s appearance but also reveal its culture and the ways its people interact with it.
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“I believe we often miss the details in our surroundings without fully realising their impact on our environment, whether for better or worse.”
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Looking forward, what aspects of street photography and mixed media are you most excited to explore? Are there specific themes or projects you hope to focus on to continue expanding your artistic storytelling?
As I mentioned, I’m keen to explore more ways of combining painting and collage with photography to create something transformative. I’d also love to return to film photography. I first learned photography in the darkroom, with that iconic red bulb and the unmistakable smell of chemicals, but I haven’t worked in that medium for a while. It’s hard to resist the pull of the digital world! Still, revisiting film could add a meaningful new layer to my storytelling, and I’m excited to see where that takes me.
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Thank you for reading,
Alexandra, Ema & the Cluster Team.