Lives and works in Queens, New York
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Tell us about yourself, how did you become an artist?
Art has always been present in my life in some form. I danced all through out my childhood and teen years. I started to get more into fine arts in high school. When it came time to apply for college, I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to major in. I knew I liked to create and I knew I couldn’t get out of bed for a business degree. This led me to major in Art at Pace University in New York, NY. During my time at Pace, my love and appreciation for photography grew and flourished. The rest is history. 
Wreck
What is your background? and how did it inform the focus of your creative exploration or the medium you're currently working with?
I started shooting only in digital, since that is what was taught at my high school. I was introduced to film photography my sophomore year of college and instantly fell in love. I love every step of the process. From metering the light, creating your composition in camera, processing your film, and then printing it. I love how film forces you to be an active participant in the image creating process. Making the photographs feel even more special and personable.
Quick Draw
What ideas interested you in the beginning of your practice, which ideas have you continued to explore, and where have they led you?
Memories have always been of interested to me. The idea that time is always moving forward, we are constantly changing, yet we can snap a photograph to preserve a piece of ourselves forever has always felt very powerful to me. The idea of preserving a memory is at the base of all my work, then I’m able to focus in on other topics that might simultaneously arise. Such as a rapidly changing neighborhood, or a rapidly changing relationship.
Belt Parkway
Who were and are the biggest sources of your inspiration?
My friends, my life, and the outer boroughs of New York City.
Seonna in Queens
Where do you find inspiration?
Some of my all time favorite photographers are Moyra Davey, Nan Goldin, Tyler Mitchell, Ryan McGinley, and Eugene Richards. I’m currently trying to build up a library of their works and if anyone has an unwanted copy of McGinley’s “The Kids Were Alright,” I’m dying to take it off your hands. 
Dekalb and Central
Is there are a single work, project, or series that is pivotal in your current trajectory?
My project, "Can We Still Fall In Love This Summer," was the first project I shot completely in film. I was worried about keeping up with processing all that film and producing a meaningful project. However, I was able to stay on top of processing. As a result, this project became my all time favorite. I have vowed to only shoot in film from here on out.
Sophia in Brooklyn
How did it begin? and how did it evolve?
I started shooting “Can We Still Fall In Love This Summer,” literally days before New York City started shutting down due to Covid-19. This project set out as a light hearted journal of my pre-pandemic life and took a complete 180 when the world went into quarantine.
Adriana and Andrew
What were important lessons in the process that you’ve carried forward with you?
Be kind to yourself, and remember a human is making this.
Shadows
What are you working on now?
A photo journal of attempts to travel this summer on a budget.
Justin From Queens
If you could go back in time to the very beginning of your art practice and give your younger self a single piece of advice what would it be?
You are valid. Your perspective is valid. You belong here.
Sophia in Bushwick
About the Artist
Based in Queens, New York
Marisa Rapezzi was born in 1998 and grew up in Detroit, MI. She now lives in Queens, NY. In May 2021, she received her BFA in Art with a double minor in Art History and Photography from Pace University in New York, NY. She is set to attend Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, this August, 2021. Where she will pursue her MFA in Interior Design. She has exhibited her work at Greenpoint Gallery in Brooklyn, NY, as well as the Pace University Gallery in New York, NY. She has also assisted artist Ruth Hofheimer with her mural “From Absence” off of the Myrtle-Wyckoff intersection in Brooklyn, NY.
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marisarapezzi.com
