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Flamenco: Landscape of its Soul
Gilles Larrain went on a two-week trip to
Andalusia in 1983 to photograph flamenco for
GEO magazine. He ended up staying for two
months in the attic of La Carboneria—a flamenco
venue in Seville — as guest to the owner,
Paco Lira, a kind of godfather to the flamenco
world. The photos of "flamenco: Landscapes
of its Soul" are the result of Gilles' endless
nights at the Carboneria and his trips with
Paco to the homes of some of flamenco's legendary
families. Others were taken at Gilles' SOHO
studio where he continues to photograph flamenco
artists that come to New York. Gilles' one-of-a-kind
gelatin silver prints document major contemporary
flamenco artists off stage in intimate settings.
His photos capture the privileged studio moment
and explore the visual aesthetics of flamenco
that reflect the austere beauty of the Andalusian
landscape.
Through Gilles' lens, we enter the inner
circle of families and catch a glimpse at
the hidden world where flamenco exists for
its own sake, where spontaneous outbursts
of song, dance and guitar playing are intermingled
with the daily course of life.
A
flamenco guitarist himself, Gilles has hosted
countless flamenco or jam sessions at his
SOHO studio where he invites musicians from
all over the world. Gilles prints all of his
photographs himself in series of very limited
editions. "Flamenco: Landscapes of its Soul"
is a work-in-progress. Gilles plans on photographing
more flamenco artists in Spain and at his
studio in New York for the future publication
of a book.
Trina Bardusco, New York City, 2001
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