Your name
Tina Sturzenegger
Place of birth
Geneva, Switzerland
Place where you live now
Zug, Switzerland
3 words to describe you
Ambitious, dedicated and funny ✅
Why do you take pictures?
I photograph to give my life meaning and substance. At its core, my work is a dialogue with experiences and encounters, which I translate into colourful and quirky compositions. Central to this dialogue is food—both in its visual aesthetics and in its cultural and social significance. Two things drew me to this subject: the sheer beauty of food in all its forms and the complex questions it raises about nourishment in society. My imagery transforms the everyday into visual narratives that balance precision, playfulness, and emotion. Influenced by the style and spirit of the 1970s and 80s, I weave in elements of design and fashion alongside food, creating compositions that are as much about culture as they are about taste. To expand these narratives, I integrate artificial intelligence—not to generate finished works, but to enrich them. Humour, irony, and a love of pushing against convention run through my practice. Whether through vibrant colour, surreal encounters, or unexpected juxtapositions, my photography reimagines the ordinary, inviting us to reconsider our relationship with what sustains us while discovering beauty and wonder in the most unlikely places.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Inspiration can strike anywhere—a moment on the street, a conversation, or even while holding a paper cup of coffee. I start with a single thought, a question or observation that catches my attention. I let it sit and evolve over time, and from this reflection, an idea emerges, which then develops into the visual language of the final image.
Who are your influences?
This is a wide range, spanning from Gregory Crewdson and supermarkets in Hong Kong to the Powerpuff Girls. I'm drawn to anything that appears unsettling at first glance.
What determines the subject matter you choose?
I chose food as my subject because it exists at the intersection of beauty and society. I am fascinated not only by its visual appeal, but also by the ways it shapes our identities, signals status, and influences how we are perceived. Food reflects cultural values and social hierarchies — what we eat, how we present it, and how we consume it all communicate meaning. Through colour, playful compositions, and subtle irony, I explore these complexities, revealing how nourishment goes beyond the body to shape our lives, rituals, and self-expression.
What impact would you like your art to have?
I hope my work inspires a deeper awareness of the intimate relationship between what we eat and who we are—how our food shapes our bodies, reflects our social standing, and mirrors our ethical choices. I want it to provoke reflection on the broader consequences of our diets: the environmental footprint of our consumption, the conditions in which animals are raised, and ultimately, the value of an animal’s life. My aim is to invite viewers to engage actively with these questions, to consider not just what they eat, but how they eat, and to confront the ethical, social, and ecological dimensions that are inevitably intertwined with every bite.
What artwork do you never get bored with?
Peace – Burial at Sea by J.M.W. Turner.
Is there anything you want to add?
My dog Finchen is wonderful. I tell almost everyone about her—whether they want to hear it or not. She’s a rescue, and there are so many amazing dogs out there in need of a home. So remember: adopt, don’t shop.
