Coincidence, absurdities and humor with Maximilian Virgili

Can you tell us a bit about how you became a photographer? And tell us something about your pictures.

It more or less happened organically ‒ I never really considered it as a career. It started as a hobby that intensified over the years. After studying literature, culture, and media, I moved to Berlin for an internship at ZEITmagazin and worked as a photo editor for a long time. After several years, I felt a strong urge to start photographing more myself. Up until that point, I had mainly taken photos while traveling. Eventually, I started doing more still-life and fashion photography. Since then, I’ve been navigating between professional jobs and personal projects. Right now, I’m working on my second book, which focuses on construction sites in Berlin. Hopefully, it will be published later this year.

Photo: Maximilian Virgili

Please share something about your images. What is your special interest? How do you choose the colors, composition, themes etc.? 

I shoot with a lot of intuition, often without planning. Light, mood, colors, and graphic elements play a huge role. But I’m also drawn to randomness, absurdity, humor, and everyday situations. My series on construction sites in Berlin, which I photographed from 2017 to 2023, came about because I was passing by so many sites every day, and at some point, I realized I was often stopping to look at them for minutes. There was something about them that intrigued me. After that, I kept coming back with my camera, experimenting a lot, not really knowing where it was heading. That’s often how it goes for me ‒ it takes time to develop.

Photo: Maximilian Virgili

Where does this interest come from?

I think it’s something that evolved over the years. I can’t say exactly. I grew up spending a lot of time in nature, spending hours in the forest near our house, climbing trees, etc. I've always had a love for nature, colors, and light. I was very active, curious, and interested in many things. I always wanted to discover and try out new things. My attention span was quite short, so I often needed new stimuli. Photography helps me a lot with that because I’m always learning, adapting, and can express myself fully creatively.

Photo: Maximilian Virgili

What inspires you?

Inspiration can come from many things, and I think a lot of it happens subconsciously for me. Films, books, exhibitions, music, walks, nature, and travel all play a role. My father used to paint a lot and had many books on Impressionism ‒ he especially loved van Gogh, which definitely influenced me.

I played the piano for many years starting at the age of six, almost exclusively classical music. Through music, I was able to let go, which was something I found difficult in my daily life ‒ and still do ‒ because I tend to be a rather hectic, impatient person. I think photography gives me a similar feeling, a sense of presence that, for me, is like meditation.

Photo: Maximilian Virgili

How do you get inspired? And what inspires you the most? Films, books, or magazines? Or what surrounds you?   

As I mentioned before, I’d say mostly films, music, books, nature, and painting.

What do you have planned for the rest of the day? 

I’m about to pick up my son from daycare, and then we’re off to his music class. :)

What else should we know about you?  

Maximilian Virgili, 35 years old, based in Berlin. I studied literature, culture, and media in Siegen and worked for many years as a photo editor at various magazines.