EXHIBITION AT RIRA GALLERY IN DUBAI (April 22 – May 27, 2015) ‘Luz Oxidada’ Presents a Photographic Insight into the Mesmerizing World of Fernando Manso

With a series of visual images, Spanish photographer Fernando Manso presents 'Luz Oxidada' to Dubai audiences in his first UAE exhibition. Made up of a selection of stunning and ethereal photographs which capture the idyllic yet solitary moments in nature and society, this exhibition takes on the title which translated from Spanish means rusty or oxidized light in reference to the subjects and overall moods captured by his photographs.

Having travelled extensively both as a commercial photographer and as an internationally exhibited artist, Manso portrays quiet landscapes and architectural structures throughout Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. Shooting with a large format film camera, his use of long exposure removes the presence of the human form, leaving the viewer with a feeling of peacefulness, of solitude.

Posing a sense of serenity, Manso’s minimalist sensibilities are emphasized by a cool blue-grey colour palette that remains consistent throughout his work, favouring muted hues that gradually fade into distant white skies. Combined with his textured manipulations the resulting work seems otherworldly, as if a nostalgic glimpse into Manso’s mysterious memories.

Manso’s eye reveals a beautiful connection between plants, minerals and liquids, the murmuring of the water over the stones, frozen trees that climb into the air, and rocks that reflect the grey clouds like mirrors. He pursues sunrises and analyses the tides, in order to capture landscapes clothed with a mist so thick it could almost be felt. Transforming reality, the viewer is dazzled by this new gaze that transmutes our everyday vision, turning it into something revealing and lasting.

Fernando Manso / Luz Oxidada, Alhambra Bath Comares, Hammam, 2012. Print on Hohneműhle paper, 190x150 cm, Edition 2/7 / Courtesy of the Artist and RIRA Gallery

Fernando Manso / Luz Oxidada, Alhambra Bath Comares, Cold Rooom, 2012. Print on Hohneműhle paper, 190x150 cm, Edition 2/7/ Courtesy of the Artist and RIRA Gallery

Fernando Manso / Luz Oxidada, Alhambra Bath Comares, Cold Rooom, 2012. Print on Hohneműhle paper, 150x200 cm, Edition 1/7 / Courtesy of the Artist and RIRA Gallery

Fernando Manso

Born in Madrid, Spain in 1961, Fernando Manso worked for an advertising agency before becoming a full time photographer in 1990. Balancing his commercial photography with his fine art pursuits, Manso’s work has been featured in a number of international publications in addition to putting forth three fine art photography books. He has exhibited in a variety of solo and group exhibitions both in Spain and abroad including exhibitions in Columbia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Philippines, Russia and now the United Arab Emirates.