ABSENCE AS A STIMULUS

This new book by the photographer is a reflection on how absence, its existence and its vital stimulus, influence and are reflected in his work, being a common thread and catalyst in his photographs.

Intercalated with the text of his dissertation, García-Alix presents sixty-eight images, most of them unpublished, taken over the last fifteen years. Thirty-six of these photos will be exhibited during Estampa fair, from Thursday, October 17th to Sunday, October 20th, at IFEMA Madrid, in an installation designed and conceived specifically.

The author explains that “absence is capable of encompassing an entire universe of emotions and meanings. It speaks to us and triggers a feeling because it lives a real and independent existence.” García-Alix reflects on how absence is present in everything that surrounds us: in nature, in architecture, in objects and even in portraits “because something always escapes us from the model.” «We are born with the pain of absence. We come to light and we are already missing the maternal cloister. We beat in what is lost, in what is forgotten, in what is gone and in what is beyond that we do not have,” he adds.

Alberto García-Alix conceived this project in 2023 on the occasion of his participation in the Fantasmagorías Contempora cycle, curated by Pilar Soler Montes, within the Madrid31 artistic and visual continuing training program. The author updates this dissertation in 2024 to present it at the 32nd edition of the Estampa art fair, an edition of which he is a guest artist. The result of this update is a completely new conference, both in text and images.

The conference Absence as a stimulus is co-edited by Cabeza de Chorlito Publishing House and Estampa International Contemporary Art Fair. The author  gave the lecture on Sunday, October 20th at the Lázaro Galdiano museum.

Edited by Estampa / IFEMA Madrid and Editorial Cabeza de Chorlito (2024)

Text and photographies: Alberto García-Alix

Desing: Frédérique Bangerter

Printed by Impresos Izquierdo

Digitization and prepress: La Troupe

Copy editor: Pilar Román Romero and Sarah Krahe

Edition: Spanish

Size: 16 x 24 cm

Nº of page: 128

Nº of photos: 68

ISBN: 978-84-122703-8-9

Legal Deposit: M-22965-2024

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