Spain is known as a “country of the sun and the arts.” Those who want to feel the inner warmth of Spain may visit the Korea Foundation Cultural Center Gallery on the second floor of the Mirae Asset Center 1 building in Suha-dong, central Seoul, where the “Photo by Photo ― A Portrait of Spain” exhibition is underway. Featuring works by 15 prominent Spanish photographers, the exhibition is sponsored by the Accion Cultural Espanola (Spanish Cultural Action) to celebrate Spain’s participation in the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea. It continues through March 8.

Changing Images of Spanish Women

Angel Marcos visited Korea on behalf of the 15 photographers who presented their works for the exhibition. I met him for an interview in the afternoon of February 10. He was there for “Talk with Artist,” where he responded to questions from visitors in a composed and relaxed manner, without showing any signs of fatigue from his trip and attending the exhibition’s opening event the day before.

Marcos said he was participating in the exhibition at the request of Chema Conesa, a well-known photography critic and curator. He said he was most pleased to present his works of Spanish cities, which have changed considerably since the 1950s, under the theme of “City.” All his four works on urban themes are focused on women. Why?
“I tried to capture the images of Spanish women, which have changed noticeably in the 21st century,” said Marcos. “Isn’t the role of women important in making an organization work properly, whether it is a family or a public entity? For this exhibition, I chose several works from a series that I produced in 2000, under the title of ‘La Chute.’ ‘Chute’ means ‘fall’ or ‘change’ in French, which is meant to represent the changing images of women.”

Marcos’ works are characterized by the effects of light recalling impressionist paintings. He explains: “I think it is my role as
a photographer to capture with precise calculation those moments when people’s eyes meet in their everyday lives. For example, ‘La Chute 35’ was a result of paying careful attention to lighting as well as every small . In ‘La Chute 16,’ I first took a photo of the figures and then combined it with another photo for the background to highlight the theme.”

Life Itself is My Motif

Marcos’ life as a photographer began with an incidental encounter with an American photographer who was visiting Spain for sightseeing around 1980. He happened to borrow the photographer’s camera to take a photo of his girlfriend, which turned out to be the starting point for his long journey into the world of photography. Upon acquiring an interest in photography, he read numerous books and worked as an apprentice for professional photographers. At that time in Spain, there were no educational institutions which specialized in photographic art, such that photography was typically undertaken as a family business that was inherited through generations.

Marcos started out taking commercial photos for advertisements but eventually began artistic photography in 2000, because he was attracted to “capturing the intricate moments in life that would never be repeated.” Asked whether the shift from commercial to artistic photography reduced his income, he answered with laughter, “I give lectures, join art projects such as ‘OLLA Project’ in Valladolid, and do a lot of work at the request of art museums. I also participate in various international exhibitions. One of my works was sold for 50,000 euros (about 70 million won).”

So, what does photography really mean to this 57-year-old artist? Marcos quoted a famous Spanish-born Mexican photographer saying, “Art is like a demanding lover.” “When I heard him say this, I thought he meant love is beautiful but also entails pain,” he said. Then he added: “For me life itself is an important motif. Once I have chosen a theme I work intensively, and most often I have focused on scenes on the outskirts of cities, where the gap between the rich and the poor is more evident. I know that these days, photography is considered a lower form of art than painting because so many people take photos and revise them easily.


But this is a perspective of the 19th century, and I believe that photographic art is as valuable as any other genre of art in that it portrays the inner aspects of life.”

Marcos revealed a keen enthusiasm throughout the interview. He gave an earnest explanation, through an interpreter, when an exhibition viewer asked him about the secrets of bringing out the inner character of his subjects and the model of his camera. He obviously had an optimistic outlook for the future of photography. He said he has no children of his own but if his nephew hopes to become a photographer, he wouldn’t stop him.

Finally, I asked Marcos if he had any advice for young people who aspire to become photo artists. “Above all, the passion for creation is important. You can never succeed if you take up photography to make money. An American psychologist has said that our only mission in life is to be happy and that anything is worth doing if we can become happy. This is what I’d like to tell them,” he said.

Kim Sung-hee Columnist