Robert Gugonatu is a Romanian street photographer on a mission for candor.
He captures everyday life “not just for our future selves, but also for generations to come.” Combining the gritty underbelly of the city with the transformative energy of the youth and steady, grinding flow of locals and tourists, Gugonatu achieves clarity.
‘This is it; this is what we have done to make the world a better or a worse place for you to live in. We smiled, we protested, we partied and produced mountains of garbage, we loved, and lived messy but genuine lives,’ the author seems to tell the ones who will come after us. Quoting Nazmir Wayman—”I believe memory is important”—he collects them in an album of strangers that share them unconsciously.
Gugonatu captures moments, not people. Every photograph carries an element of surprise and sincerity, delivered through a simplistic vision unencumbered by heavy editing or pretentious inner meaning. His street photography instincts extend into his daily life and inner circle, with everything being candidly and meticulously documented. It is a gentle, free-spirited way of looking at life—witnessing while participating and cherishing life while keeping proof of his own existence.
His work spans from protests and pride parades to traditional carnivals and comic-cons—from “Project X”-style parties to private shots of girls putting their makeup on. Rawness and non-interference are held in high regard; after all, that is what provides authenticity and, more often than not, meaning. Gugonatu simply states that ‘life is what it is, for what it’s worth—good or bad—live it.’
Read our “Camouflage” issue in full
RAWGUE.’s 4th issue delved into the grey, moody, and cold atmosphere of winter. Yet it did not sink into the depths of madness or depression. Instead, it embraced this season of hibernation, allowing 31 artists from all over the world to present their timid work beneath a veil of quiet beauty.
We’re a team of writers using our craft to spotlight art in its most honest form. RAWGUE. started as a bi-monthly editorial experiment where each issue’s theme is dictated by the submitted work, thus removing editorial bias from the equation and preserving a more raw approach. We focus on all forms of poetry: written, photographed, painted, drawn, and filmed.
