Interested in photography since a very young age, you’ve managed to build a solid career in the creative industry. How would you say your style has evolved? What are you most interested in portraying now and why?
I think I have a clearer sense of what I’m trying to communicate now. I’m most interested in portraying real people and real stories. I’ve always been drawn towards exploring the beauty in everyday human experiences and sharing that through my work. That’s what feels universal and accessible to me.
Where did the inspiration for the exhibition come from? How did your creative process work?
The inspiration was just everyday life. I didn’t think too much about the end goal or anything when I was still shooting, and I tried not to limit myself too much—everything was quite loose. For me, things begin to take shape when I look back at the work after I get the sense that the shooting part is done.
“For an artist, a first show is kind of an announcement, a declaration of who they are. So, it was a conscious decision to dedicate my first show to the women in my life.” – Sirui Ma
What are the biggest challenges of being a photographer and putting together this exhibition?
It’s a lot more challenging than I anticipated! There were so many details I didn’t even think about initially. INK [a creative post-production studio based in East London] handled the post-production, which, if I took on alone, would have taken months. Peach/pages, the arts organization that helped me put this exhibition together, relieved me of a lot of stuff I didn’t even consider, such as graphics and writing. Even though it’s a solo show, it’s actually a huge group project.
