Philosophy and photography at the exhibition of Manuel Vilorinho

In Madrid, an exhibition of the works of photographer Manuel Vilarinho (Manuel Vilariño), which recently impressed his fans by publishing a book of poems.

Manuel Vilorinho

Displaying poetic and philosophical concepts using photography is an almost impossible task, however, there are artists who challenge the impossible, and I must say, quite successfully. It is to these artists, living in Galicia, Manuel Villarigno.

The exhibition, which runs until July 7, is called “The Sea Beyond” (Mar de afuera) and presents a series of works depicting Icelandic and Galician landscapes.

The images captured by the artist’s camera reflect a much more simple reproduction of the landscape. Vilarinho creates genuine visual poems that convey the mood and carry the philosophical message of the author. Some works are accompanied by short poetic texts written by the photographer himself.

Almost all the works are black and white, as the author himself explains: “Perhaps this is a consequence of the fact that they reflect a state of loneliness and silence.” Each viewer can interpret the mood conveyed by the author in his own way, but at the same time, the semantic load of the work is not lost.

“Iceland and Galicia are two territories that are connected through the sky, ocean and mountains. I like to walk there and listen to the sounds of the elements. In addition, an animal may appear at any time, ”says Vilarinho, who often uses animals in his work.

Manuel Vilarinho is one of Spain’s most famous contemporary artists in recent decades. His work was recognized in 2007 as the National Photo Award, which allowed him to become more recognizable outside his homeland. His works take pride of place at exhibitions held at the Galician Center for Contemporary Art and the São Paulo Museum of Art. In addition, some of his works are exhibited in the pavilion of Spain at the Venice Festival.

Anna Sidorova