Exhibitions
Sergio Larrain, the poetic enigma of Chilean photography, arrives in Catalonia
A journey through the life and work of Sergio Larrain: from the streets of Santiago and the children of the series Niños de la calle, to the hills and corners of Valparaíso, passing through Europe and Latin America, where his poetic and enigmatic gaze transforms everyday reality into images of great emotional intensity.
The career of Chilean photographer Sergio Larrain, a member of the Magnum Agency, arrives in Catalonia with a double exhibition in Barcelona and Palafrugell, produced by Magnum Photos and co-organized by the Foto Colectania Foundation and the Xavier Miserachs Photography Biennial. The exhibitions offer a complete tour of the work of one of the most unique photographers of the 20th century, capable of transforming everyday moments into poetic and enigmatic images.
At Foto Colectania, from January 22 to May 24, there is El vagabundo de Valparaíso , where 80 photographs taken in Chile can be seen, with special attention to the series Niños de la calle (1956–1957), which portrays the lives of children surviving on the streets of Santiago. Larrain, still learning about the camera, literally and metaphorically lowered himself to their level, creating images that capture their vulnerability and at the same time their strength. This series, along with the 16mm film Niños vagabundos, caught the attention of the Magnum Agency.
Sergio Larrain. Passage Bavestrello Valparaíso Chile, 1952. © Sergio Larrain / Magnum Photos.
The project on Valparaíso (late 1950s – mid-1960s) is one of Larrain’s best known. The photographer portrayed the hills, the stairs, the inhabitants and every corner of the port with a unique sensitivity, creating a true visual poem that culminated in the book Valparaíso (1991), with an essay by Pablo Neruda, Las piedras del cielo. Larrain prepared a new, more personal model that he did not want to publish during his lifetime; the definitive version was released in 2012.
Starting in August, the Xavier Miserachs Photography Biennial in Palafrugell will show almost 90 images, which include Larrain's work in Europe and other Latin American countries, as well as photographs taken on the Isla de Chiloé and urban scenes in Santiago, thus completing his artistic vision of Chile and the world.
Between Chiloé Island and Puerto Montt, Chile, 1957 © Sergio Larrain / Magnum Photos.
Larrain's gaze is characterized by freedom, originality and a discreet lyricism. His street photography combines poetry and mystery, with the masterful use of shadows, reflections and unexpected angles, and reveals a deep sensitivity towards human presence and urban solitude. Thanks to the research and curation of Agnès Sire, Larrain's legacy has been recovered and revalued, continuing to inspire new generations of photographers.
With “Sergio Larrain. The vagabond of Valparaíso”, the audience has the opportunity to immerse themselves in a universe where photography becomes poetry and everyday life is transformed into an enigmatic image.
