“I like the fact that Batman doesn’t have any superpower. He is only human and trying always to help other people”
Sebastian Magnani (Zurich, 1985) is a Swiss photographer, visual artist and creative director who mostly creates portraits with strong colors through iconic figures that invite the viewer to reflect on daily life,
The Daily Bat.
In each work, Magnani digitally portrays the superhero in the most intimate moments and to which we are not used to seeing him, capturing the most vulnerable mood between melancholy, loneliness and moments of leisure: in the pool, on a golf course, while reading a book in the library and even in a solarium! In short, when the superhero is not at work, when he is not committed to saving the world from the bad guys. The emotional strength of each photograph is encapsulated in the contrast of strong colors surrounding the dark figure of Batman.
"In my free time I love to create my own personal projects, based on conceptional series."
"Personal projects are always the best way to express yourself in our own language, your own ideas, your own expression. For me is that the freest way, to transport a feeling in a visualization - your own personal point of view."
"Always when i'm in the progress of creating, I feel myself, I feel the life. I'm in motion, I do something, and not just talking about an idea."
Inspired by daily life, there are overall inspirations. The fascination for all this unique
moments, all this unique things, is the key for finding the next project. Just be open for everything."
"Normally I get ideas out of nothing, than I have a list, where I directly save my ideas on my phone. After a couple of months, when i get free time, I choose one of the projects out of them and beginning with the progress. Means make a beginning, than let's the projects grow."
In general I love to experiment and question space. Compared to a real place which I photograph, is a space not spatially limited. So by a different and unusual interaction of the known surrounding with the unusual subject – I create a new and unique space. This interaction between the atoms really stimulates me and creates a lot of contrast and energy. Reality transform more into fantasy. And with that process, I always question reality too.
In my current project “Daily Bat” I show Batman in his unseen daily life. By replacing him in unusual places instead of the known fighting surroundings, I show the character in another context and confront the viewer slightly: What would be the world with a jobless superhero? In my view it would be a better place, where human beings taking responsibility for their actions – a better world. They can’t give the responsibility to superheroes for saving them by themselves. I think with more respect and tolerance between the people it could work. Taking care for each other instead of being selfish.