The Galerie Esther Woerdehoff presents Chema Madoz : Recent works.
This exhibition is the first of the artist in France since before the pandemy. Continuing in this vein, we are now offering a new perspective on the world of this illustrious photographer, enriched by a collection of photographs never before unveiled. The Galerie Esther Woerdehoff has represented him in France for nearly twenty years, and organised several major retrospective.
Born in Madrid in 1958, Chema Madoz took up photography independently in the early 1980s, a period marked by the effervescence of the Movida. He revealed his talent to the public for the first time in 1983, while working in the banking sector. Towards the beginning of the 90s, he decided to turn away from portraits and landscapes and focus his lens exclusively on objects, which he found in flea markets, shops and even urban rubbish.
His works, evoking the delicacy of a cloud, a thread or a butterfly, often transport us into a dreamlike world, capturing fleeting moments. Like a haiku, their apparent simplicity invites us to reflect deeply on life and the ephemeral nature of things.
His creative approach revolves around an initial idea and a preparatory sketch, culminating in the creation of an object that takes the form of an ephemeral sculpture, before being immortalised by the lens. Madoz plays with objects, bringing them together or confronting them, to reveal their essence beyond their ordinary appearance, eliminating both their triviality and their colour. He favours traditional techniques, using a medium-format Hasselblad camera.
With photography, I’ve discovered the possibility of highlighting all the images that pop into my head. Through its brevity and intensity, photography is close to poetry.
For me it is important to be guided by my own perception and not to limit myself to simply turning the word into an image. What interests me is the idea of discovery, of uncovering, of perceiving the mystery in the everyday. – Chema Madoz
Chema Madoz : Recent works
February 29 – April 6, 2024
Galerie Esther Woerdehoff
36 Rue Falguière
75015 Paris, France
www.ewgalerie.com
