Manresa's Museu de Manresa has opened a new photography exhibition, "La fotografia al Museu. Compromís per a una col·lecció" (Photography at the Museum. Commitment to a Collection), featuring the work of 23 photographers. Curated by Enric Casas, with support from Montse Puchades and Ramon Porta, the exhibition is displayed in the Sala del Claustre and draws heavily from the museum's main collection, according to Regió 7.
The exhibition's poster was designed by Modest Francisco, whose work forms a significant part of the museum's holdings. Casas selected a still life and a photograph of Franco with the 'yugo y las flechas' (yoke and arrows) from the museum's storage, a piece that speaks for itself, officials said.
Diverse Photographic Perspectives
The collection highlights a range of styles and subjects. Josep Barés' work focuses on how materials contribute to the aesthetic arrangement of an image, while Robert Gardeñas, the first president of Foto Art Manresa, presents a dramatic chiaroscuro portrait. Santi Bajona's contribution is a photograph of a glass with terrazzo, showing the reflection of a shadow on the ground.
Rosalina Camps displays her skill with a photograph of a cape draped over the Pont Vell, demonstrating a painterly quality. M. Dolors Cots, known for her educational work alongside Montse Roldan, taught photography classes in prisons like La Model. Josep Grifoll, an underground painter and poet, shows a tortured sensibility in his images.
Vicenç Orriols, a key figure in Esbart Manresà, presents ballet photographs and was important in founding Foto Art Manresa. Ramon Grau, a former president of Foto Club Manresa, is represented by an image of Santa Caterina covered in snow, featuring military barracks. Italian photographer Elisabetta Pinni's work, created while studying factories in Cardener, captures the dignity of the local inhabitants.
Documenting History and People
Ignasi Rubinart, owner of Foto Ronart, contributes a historical portrait of La Florentina from Sant Jaume de Frontanyà. Adelina Putellas presents a photograph from Morocco. Genís Sáez, the municipal photographer, showcases his expertise in city monuments, having documented many town hall events. Joan Segon experimented with photography, including "Sol, Solet" from the Comediants group and "Imatges del meu món" (Images of My World), a sombre photomontage influenced by family deaths in Andorra.
Carme Serra offers two low-angle shots: one of a gymnast's hoops and another of a roof gutter with shoes hanging upside down. Isidre Trullàs, who collaborated with Serena on multiple exhibitions, was skilled at capturing the natural beauty of people from different cultures. An Albert Vidal photograph from Serarols street in 1975, taken before demolitions, is also included. Santi Viladrich, a professional photographer, is the only participant with the title of Master from FIAP, known for his visually strong instantaneous captures. Ferran Faja's work shows the spontaneity of children at play.
Cristina Zafra's photomontage of thighs serves as a topographical study, offering an artistic creation distinct from an instant photo. The exhibition also includes some of Manresa's oldest photographs, such as those by Charles Clifford from 1858, and works from the documentary photographic heritage of Josep M. Rosal. The show also references thinkers who have explored photography's meaning, including Walter Evans, John Berger, Susan Sontag, and Robert Mapplethorpe. Joan Fontcuberta's assertion that AI has finally brought photography out of the closet, because "now we know everything," is also noted.
