Baroque Contemporary Portraits...

7:26 p.m.

“Any photo is, thus, that enigmatic trace that makes us dream and raises questions that fascinate us, but also disturbs us...”

François Soulages & Alejandro Erbetta

Paula Anta is a photographer and, according to her statement, she works in series based on arguments that she later develops in-situ. She was recently hired to make a series of portraits based on the guidelines provided by the management of the remodeled Hotel Ritz in Madrid (now Mandarin Oriental Ritz). In the hotel's bar (Pictura) there were photographs of deceased personalities so, together with the renovations, the artist was called to make a series of new portraits but of living personalities of Spanish culture. As the decor of the bar has golden ornamented walls and several large chandeliers with Austrian crystals, it was decided to dress the sitters with a wardrobe matching the decoration. Thus, they were asked to visit the Baroque Art rooms in the Prado Museum (located right in front of the hotel) to choose the clothing they would wear in the photo session, according to the works exhibited there. Then the costumes were made and each one, adorned with pompous dresses, hats, shirts or tunics, posed for Paula Anta in a similar way as that of the artworks they chose in the museum. Using the visual codes of Baroque painting, Anta took the shots in color, which were then framed in gold.