Interviewing Marton Perlaki, The Hungarian Photographer Defying Expectations

His atypical but recognizable work features unique subjects with a tender, subdued energy; a factor he says is often interpreted as a “fetishization of the non-ordinary”. Perlaki grew up in Budapest in the 1980s, and his curious photographic eye was carved by an enchantment with the knowledge of science: including philosophy, human perception, and the relationship between the two. In the years of adulthood since, Perlaki has created a multitude of artistic fashion editorials for clients including Chloé, Helmut Lang, Dior, Isabel Marant, and Adidas. His photo book Elemer, featured previously on IGNANT, is an enigmatic collection of still lifes and portraits based around a mysterious protagonist named Elemer. The striking publication is an example of Perlaki’s ability to create images that defy audience expectations.

Whether it’s photographing his mother at Budapest city’s thermal baths for Vogue, documenting abstract shop windows, or taking black and white portraits of interesting faces, what remains constant in Perlaki’s work is an emphasis on gesture, emotion, and vulnerability and a desire to isolate his subject matter from their context. We spoke to Perlaki from his home in London about the influence of theater on his work, balancing emotions, and amusing visual metaphors.