Marika Sviķe Takes Your Heart

Marika Sviķe is a photographer based in Riga, Latvia. She’s a creative animal, working in fashion (check out her new fashion line Gatavs Valkāšanai which means ‘ready to wear’), design, digital manipulations, she models and well…

I recently re-fell in love with Marika’s work when I saw her Lina + Madara | March 2013 shoot. I think what attracts me most to this shoot is her flamboyant use of the painted on, semi transparent brush strokes. Also, she easily and effortlessly captures elegant sensuality, not only in her Lina + Madara work, but in all her work. I find in every photograph of hers there is a feeling of character, of personality, of purpose. There’s emotion, and style, and above all else there’s little bits of quirky!

I first met Marika on the set of a Minus 40 photoshoot for their Fall 2012 line. Her work really spoke of beautiful things to me, but perhaps it was also the Mustang! She has the power to infuse her photography with just enough substance that captures the imagination of the viewer without insinuating too much.

I asked Marika to do an interview with me:

Where do you consider home?

My motherland – Latvia.

Can you talk about what home has provided for you as far as inspirations, style choices, cultural attitudes, etc?

I think it is a combination of global impressions like trips, movies, web, glossy magazines etc., and native impressions like local movies and theater, local media, everyday socialization, etc. It’s hard to separate just the impact from home.

When you start in on a project, can you step us through typically how you proceed from concept to final product?

It depends… Some projects begin with a phone call and three hours later you are already done with it. Some projects start with an idea, vision or goal, then you are brainstorming about it, you look for inspiration, you search for team members, the places, the looks… and when everything has been brought together you plan a photoshoot. Afterwards comes the hard work to review and edit images. If you get lucky – the images reflects the vision you and your teammates had earlier. But it isn’t so common.

Why Photography, why not architecture or librarian or butcher?

I got my first film camera when I was twelve (I won it in Coca Cola lottery – big fan of Cola in those days). I had no idea that it would turn into something. Up until last year I’ve tried to be ‘librarian or butcher’ – I’ve studied business administration, IT, I’ve worked in Ministry of Justice, then in audit, I’ve tried painting, sewing, design, consultations, have written several business plans in very different fields… And I’ve returned to photography and design. I’m curious and that’s my driver to try new things. But of one thing I’m sure – none of the occupations have given me the pleasure photography has.

Who are some artists that are inspiring you right now, that push you forward in what you’re doing?

None in particular. I can be amazed by any artists work – either it’s a song, a book, a movie, or photography, either this artist is big in Japan or one hit wonder in Latvia 🙂

Name 3 artists that are on your music playlists right now.

Fleetwood Mac, MJ Cole, Tracy Chapman.

Can you tell me about what direction you want to take in your work in the next year? What concepts you’ve been thinking about, but haven’t had the resources, space, or time to accomplish?

Photography plus fashion. To make my photos ‘wearable’. But I know me (or life) – everything can change by 180 degrees.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

Right now I could go to Paris. Again. And again alone. Paris is my place of peace.

Are there any people, animals, or objects that are the centerpiece to your existence?

I will lie and answer no 🙂

All photographs are courtesy of and copyrighted by Marika Sviķe. She can be found on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.