Anita V. Cruz is an art photographer of Puerto Rican origin married to a Nigerian of Lebanese descent. Cruz, who runs Atvez Productions first came to Nigeria in 1990 and returned recently to set up shop in the country. In this interview with Assistant Life Editor, TERH AGBEDEH, she talks about her work and future
How long have you been in Nigeria?
Anita-V. Cruz
Actually, I have been coming back and forth for many years, at least since 1990.
Why did you stay after your first visit in 1990?
In 1990, I was here in and out for seven years. Then I left for many years. I came back about a year ago. I always came back and forth anyway. Between the time I spent a lot of time in the 90s until about a year and half ago, I had always maintained friendships, visiting and coming back and forth from New York to Lagos.
What was your first trip to Nigeria for?
Well, I met a very nice man that lived here; so I came here, you know. I guess you could say it was for love.
Is the love still on?
Yeah, actually, it is still on.
Is he Nigerian?
He is Nigerian, born here in Nigeria but he is Lebanese.
You started photography long before you made that trip?
Yes.
Why photography?
I come from a very artistic and talented family, and I think I was very creative. As a young child of about 12, I always was fascinated by all the pictures that my mother used to take of us; she would take the home movies and take a lot of photographs. I have never seen anybody take so many photographs of one family. She has so many photographs of us that each time we go to the photographs, I would ask her the same questions: who was that and what was this doing behind that? And she would just tell me stories about each photograph. So, that thing about “a photograph is worth a thousand words”. That is how I fell in love with photography, film and even storytelling.
Did you go for training, or what you learnt from your mum was enough for you?
No, she didn’t teach me photography; she just inspired me to do photography. She is the one that started me on taking photographs and telling a story. I did graduate from the School of Visual Art in New York City and went back to do Fine Art and Photography. Then later on, I received my second degree from the Cuny Baccalaureate in Media Studies where I studied documentary that kind of ties in with my childhood experience when my mother was showing me all those pictures.
Have you made any documentaries?
No, not yet.
But you are doing fashion and art photography?
My main thing is fine art photography specialising in portraiture. But since I have been here, I just kind of fell into the whole beauty and fashion photography world here. I just got newly back here. So people are really taking notice of my work and I am doing a lot of networking and collaborations with fellow artists such as make-up artists, designers, stylists and modelling agencies and magazines.
Your portfolio seems to have more of fashion photographs?
Yeah, my education and background are in fine art photography, although I brought some beautiful fine art pictures which Nike Gallery has right now and wants to put it up. I had six, but I have only given her one. It is kind of an introduction, so we could do a show at Nike Gallery in November or December this year. That will be very special because the topic is ‘African Woman’ and the theme is ‘African Women Wearing Beads’. The culture of the African woman kind of integrates with the (bead) culture.
You have six pictures already. Is that all you will be exhibiting in December or you are still working?
No, I am getting 20 images. I am having them printed on metal.
Apart from pictures, do you do any other thing that is art?
I don’t sing, I don’t dance. I am a visual person. I am so visual because I like to do the filmmaking, documentary, which I haven’t touched on. There are so many things that I want to do.
You mentioned storytelling, do you write?
I also write. Of course, when I studied documentary filmmaking in school, I had to write treatments, proposals and things like that. So, yes, I write.
Do you have access to those pictures your mum took, and will you show them in the future?
I have access to those pictures. Yeah, I might be able to give them out.
Did she develop them at home? Were they on film?
Yeah, they were on negatives. What happened with the pictures? She had given them out to all her children, so they are not as plentiful as they were when I was a child because she gave everyone the pictures that they were in – all her children, and she had like six children.
Are you the only one among your siblings inspired to do photography?
It was only me that ended up doing photography. One of my sisters plays classical music; another was in the performing art. Then I had a sister who is purely in business; she is the money-making person in the whole family.
You must have mingled with photographers in Nigeria.
Yeah.
Is there something you think they are not doing right?
I think there are Nigerians in this country that are taking on photography. I am not talking about those that are educated outside – in the UK or United States; I am talking about the self-taught individuals that are here in Nigeria, Lagos in particular, who are taking on photography. I think they have a good start because you start with the passion and the willingness to pick up a camera because you are inspired and want to do well. I think the drawback, however, is knowledge and education and a strong foundation at understanding the settings on a camera, lighting and flash, the technical part. There is so much to know and I think it is limiting for some of the photographers that I am meeting.
In order words, it is good to get professional knowledge.
Yeah.
One reason that is the case is because there are no schools where to get such knowledge. What do you suggest aspiring photographers should do? Should they go abroad?
No. I am waiting for my studio, which is soon to be finished in Lekki. Every photographer that I have worked with has asked me if I can teach. And that is the big thing here. Why do they have to go out? One of my plans is to teach, to offer workshops, to offer computer programmes like Photoshop, which will help them understand how to get a correct exposure, how to do lighting. I want to be that person to offer first class quality education for a vocation that could make a very good living for them and their families.
That sounds expensive or are you going to do…
(Cuts in) Well, a lot of these photographers already have impressive cameras, so I am sure they have sponsors to help them along. I mean, Nigeria is a very rich country that is expanding and evolving very quickly and everything that is happening in the United States and Europe, everyone knows it here. The only thing is that there is no education. There is no much money in funding; so these people have to go to private sponsors and show their works and write proposals. A lot of corporations are willing to help.
