Arts & Entertainment
Photographic Narratives
Taking in the beauty of portrait photography through the raw lens of Spanish photographer, Jesús Madriñán at SPAIN arts & culture.
A beautiful Fall day in October to take a drive through the city's streets and admire the Fall foliage and leaves turning to orange, red and gold. To make the day more memorable a visit to the "Spain Arts & Culture" center / cultural office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington DC to view their Fall Open Doors adds more to this splendid Fall day. The Spain Cultural office is located in the former residence of the Ambassadors of Spain which has been turned into a cultural center promoting Spanish artists, musicians and cultural programs to the American public. The glamours historic Beaux-Arts mansion with its friendly staff welcome the visitors in to view the special exhibitions adorning its galleries. I especially enjoyed the photography exhibition titled "Washington Store" by Spanish photographer, Jesús Madriñán. Madriñán, a contemporary photographer born in 1984 utilizes large analogue photography in his presentation of the portrait in modern photography. Madriñán's focus is on the portrait as a form of an artistic genre. Madriñán's portraits go beyond the traditional rendition and instead stress on the moving aspects of capturing a generational portrait that is rich in its values showcasing diversity and embracing tolerance and love. Furthermore, Madriñán states that his "main line of work has to do with identity from a generational and biographical perspective." His photography delves into societal conversations about the importance of the development of identity. Moreover, Madriñán documents his generation through the camera in venues that see social interactions like nightclubs. The "Washington Store" project as Madriñán exclaims is an exploration of the use of a dating app, in particular the dating app for the LGBTQ community. Madriñán further notes, the project was to invite a good number of the app users to meet up at an old warehouse within the city where the photographer's end result was to capture a large collective portrait. Madriñán's aim for "Washington Store'' was to present a reflection of a physical space where strangers who share a similar virtual space come together in their representation of the city they reside in. Consequently, the end result of the large photos we see on display present an homage to this modern generation along with a snapshot of narratives in the times of liquid love. The exhibition is ongoing till November 24.
The exhibition's photography series emphasizes on how Spanish photographers view DC through their lens.
Crisp and clear, the photos speak clearly to the viewer through its beautifully skilled photographic depiction and its message of love, unity and tolerance.
Beyond the indoor exhibitions, a walk in the center's garden brings calm and serenity to the day.
Visit Spain Arts & Culture's website for a full program listing their exhibits and events:
