Not many can say they’ve rented a baby, but Argentinian photographer Sofia Malamute is an exception. The photographer laughs as she explains the fantasy behind the scenes of her latest project, Turros. “The curtains weren’t there, that table wasn’t there, we rented the baby — that’s the beauty of it,” she says of the set design for one particular photograph.
In our conversation over Zoom, she opens up about this eclectic and heartfelt ode to the turros, or as Sofia translates it, “The boys in the hood.” They’re meant to represent a specific social class of Argentina, and are perceived as intimidating — but really they’re often misunderstood.
15 years ago, Sofia was just starting as an artist in her hometown of Buenos Aires. As a teenager, her mom urged her to get an early start with photography — this would evidently pay off when she was selected to present her work in a contemporary gallery in Argentina. “My pictures were shown there and exhibited,” she says. “It was a huge thing for me. I was still really young,.”
Soon, Sofia would be snapping photos of star-studded fashion week front rows and working in editorial. For creatives on the outside looking to get their start, Sofia’s early success warrants envy. Yet, she quickly reached her limit, and understandably so. She recalls a story of when she shot street style outside shows, but if she couldn’t track down the model’s name and agency, she wouldn’t get paid. “There was one season where I just decided I couldn’t do it anymore,” she says. The story is all too familiar — finding the sweet spot between creative and commissioned work can prove exhausting. This burnout prompted her to develop a more personal and creative practice.
Turros balances the sharp edges of masculinity with warm lighting and soft feelings of friendship. The portraits capture a day in the life of a group of boys spending time with one another fixating on a PlayStation game or arm wrestling. “I wanted the spectator to feel the bond with each other and the intimacy,” Sofia says. In a time where girlhood is occupying the mainstream cultural consciousness, Sofia tackles the quiet fantasies of boyhood.
Here, “boy dinner” is a monster energy drink, and style can comfortably reach beyond binaries. “They have so much fashion in them,” she says with a chuckle, describing the typical turro.
Like many in her industry, Sofia made the jump to move to New York early in her adulthood. She reflects on believing in order to make a career for herself, she needed to be in the city. “When I moved from Buenos Aires to New York I wanted to be like a sponge and just live through it,” she says.
Returning to Argentina from New York prompted the concept of Turros, specifically the culture shock Sofia felt. Up until now, she hadn’t ever worked on a project that illustrated something so close to home. Sure, shooting for Prada and Saint Laurent is fascinating and exciting, but it wasn’t connected personally in the way that this project does. She felt a strong urge to create for art’s sake. “Being able to produce Turros just by the act of doing it, I think that’s very rare,” she says.
The playfulness of Turros is what makes the work so compelling. The style of photography in the photos references prominent Argentinian photographer Marcos Lopez, whose work snapshots the stoic faces of Argentinians amidst colorful backgrounds and scenes. Similar to Marcos’ work, Turros plays the line between absurdity and reality. Sofia also cites David LaChapelle as an inspiration, “But make it Argentinian,” she says with a smile.
In shots of Turros, there’s a youthfulness (and perhaps naivety) to the subjects that juxtaposes the monotonous and harsh city background. One of the most captivating photos is a man with a buzz-cut and tattooed chest gently cradling a baby in his arm. Sofia and her team gracefully balance stereotypical hyper-masculinity with actions of loyalty and care.
Above all, creating Turros was a labor of love from Sofia and the other artists from Buenos Aires on the shoot. She remembers how beautiful the weather was on shooting day and the lively atmosphere of her crew. “Even though the economy is so fucked up and the social situation is bad, people are still constantly producing. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s so inspiring.”
Credits
Photography Sofia Malamute
Styling Paul Nicolino
Creative direction and casting direction Paul Nicolino
Additional casting @streetagency.xyz
Set design Ignacio Buendia
Makeup Martina Pucheta
Line producer Anita Rod
AD Sonia Stigliano