INTERVIEW with KATJA ZANELLA-KUX from SWITZERLAND

(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)

Team & Task(s)

Katja Zanella-Kux is from Switzerland and currently lives in Schwaz, Tyrol. During MARS2013 she accompanies the field crew as part of the media team in Morocco to capture stunning moments during the simulation.

Space & MARS2013

How did you first get in touch with the topic of space / astronomy / analog research?

Star Trek.

When did you first hear about the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF)

I was visiting a planetarium in Schwaz and Gernot Grömer was advisor in one of the shows.

How did you learn about the “MARS2013” mission?

I already accompanied the OeWF with camera during the Kaunertaler Glacier field simulation. After the Rio Tinto mission in 2011 it was pretty obvious that MARS2013 would be the next mission.

Why did you choose to participate?

I am a passionate photographer and it is a fantastic experience for me to be in Morocco. I am always looking for new ideas – it is the perfect fit for me: photography in challenging and extreme situations.

What was your first impression when you got involved with the OeWF team?

The OeWF is a very open minded, happy and very curious bunch.

What is your personal goal in this mission?

Photography in a different location – four weeks in the desert. I just want to capture great moments and collaborate with the team members on the project.

Work, Life & Family

What I do for a living:

Professional photographer

A typical day in my life looks like this:

In the morning I’m in the studio; in the afternoon on the go for meetings and on locations.

This is how I spend my spare time:

I travel a lot, visit family in Switzerland, and friends everywhere. In addition, I pursue photography projects that I don’t  get covered during the week.

Family status:

Widow.

How my friends would describe me:

Bubbly, energetic, introspective, chaotic,  thoughtful.

Me, Myself & I

These things are precious to me:

Respect, open-mindedness, humor, creativity.

What drives me crazy:

Ignorant people.

Something I would never do:

To have prejudices for someone I really do not know.

To relax I absolutely need:

 A cup of tea.

For this I would do almost anything:

Just leave to go somewhere; I’d drop almost everything for that.

Something that once changed my life:

Cancer and the death of my husband.

What is the most unusual / challenging / exciting / scary / funny thing you ever experienced?

Photography during the Berlinale, a party with Antonio Banderas, a shoot with George Clooney.

Goal(s) & Motto

Something I would love to learn or to achieve:

When I am 60 or 70 I want to happily look back on my life and having the sense everything was good the way it was.

My Motto / A saying I can identify with:

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

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