Ruven Afanador Exhibition

Ángel Gitano: The Men of Flamenco
Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles
May 7 – July 18

“This is how I imagined Flamenco. When I was a boy in Colombia, I had friends who went to Spain and came back with fantastic stories about their experiences. This exhibition is what I imagined they saw from those stories” —  Ruven Afanador

Ángel Gitano –The Men of Flamenco was shot by Afanador in very high contrast under the white bright light of Andalusia, providing a compelling and often irreverent portrayal of the indomitable vitality of generations of larger-than-life gypsies, heirs to the soulful song and dance that evolved for centuries in the cultural lushness of the Iberian tradition. Afanador adroitly juxtaposes primal archetypes with breathtaking young dancers from contemporary companies who enrich the imagery with an exquisitely sensual bravura. 

Working together with his team of collaborators under the unforgiving white light of Andalusia, Afanador photographed the men out of their usual context, in the harsh wheat fields outside Sevilla and the austere landscape near Jerez de la Frontera, and donning the theatrical make-up of Italian Neo-realism, which has long been his signature. To highlight their eccentricity, he mixed pieces from the men’s own wardrobes—flat top berets and ruffle trimmed shirts—with dramatic flourishes of his own: fringe, flounces and stylized high waist, wide bottom pants; with lace-up corsets, endless ropes of pearls, and long skirts. The series is filled with power and eccentricity, combining the intense emotions of flamenco music with the eroticism of nudity. The images demonstrate Afanador’s laser sharp focus on its most eccentric of articulations—el ángel—that powerful spirit that inflames flamenco with its intense emotion.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Ruven Afanador was born in Colombia and spent his childhood in the city of Bucaramanga. While studying art in college, he discovered photography and later honed his technical skills while living in Milan. He moved to New York in 1990 where he has achieved an exceptional career photographing the emblematic figures of contemporary fashion, music, and film. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the world.

From May 7 thru July 18, 2015, Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles will be exhibiting the photographs of Ruven Afanador’s “Ángel Gitano: The Men of Flamenco,” the latest series about men in the world of flamenco. 

Artist Reception: Thursday, May 7, 7-9pm
Fahey/Klein Gallery
148 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90036
Gallery Hours: Tues. – Sat.; 11am – 5pm
Phone: (323) 934-2250

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