V I V ( R ) E L A V I E !

• Photographer
  ANA GALAN, Spain
• Studio
  ANA GALAN
• Website
  http://www.anagalanphoto.com

I have always thought that arriving to a certain age, we become
invisible, towards ourselves and towards the rest of the people.
The project Viv(r)e la vie! pays homage to those who decide not to
become invisible, to those who continue to live “in the moment".
With curiosity, being the main character of their lives and
surrounded by family or friends.

Photographs of couples in profile before a wide coniferous
landscape in three planes: landscape representing the power of
vital force, of immortality.

Couples of a certain age, people barely seen socially, but who have
not stopped living life fully and whose close relation is
photographed in the outing dances of their area. The photographs
give visibility to people that, for a certain time. have lacked such
visibility. This series, at the same time, documents the cultural
diversity that exists between different cities and countries:
Guadalajara, Spain; Philadelphia, USA; Pirkanmaa, Finland and
Leyte, Philippines.

This project would like to honor those that live life fully, those
people that are reaching a mature age, but remain active.

Ana Galan was born in Madrid in 1969. After receiving her degree in Economics, she completed an International MBA, which entailed studying in three different cities: Oxford, Madrid and Paris. In the last two courses, she wrote a thesis addressing "Speculation in Plastic Art".

Since 1993 she has combined her passion for photography with her profession, attending various courses in Paris and Madrid. After doing an MFA in Photography in 2009/2010 at EFTI, and after attending workshops with Pierre Gonnord, Eduardo Momene, Peter Bialobrzeski, Lynne Cohen, Matt Siber, Jose Ramon Bas, Eugenio Ampudia, Alejandro Castellote, Chema Madoz... her photography becomes more personal.

Since then she has been finalist in various competitions such as Descubrimientos PHotoEspana in 2010 and also in 2011, in Madrid, Spain, in Emergentes Encontros da Imagem in 2010 and also in 2011, in Braga, Portugal, in the Bourse du Talent Portrait 2011, Paris, France, in the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, France, in the Festival Emergent at Lleida 2010, Spain, in the Grunenthal Art Prize... she has received a Third Prize in the 2011 CENTER Dealer's Choice Award (selection by Dianne Vanderlip, Curator at Gagosian Gallery) and an Honorable Mention in the 2011 CENTER Editor's Choice Award (selection by Todd James, Senior Photo Editor at National Geographic).

She has participated in several collective exhibits in France (Paris Photo, Espace Dupon at Paris, Rencontres d'Arles...), Italy (Primo Piano LivinGallery), India (Delhi Photo Festival), Spain (GetxoPhoto, FotoNoviembre, Festival Pa-ta-ta...), Malaysia (China House), Japan (Japan Media Arts Festival) and USA (CENTER Santa Fe, The Center for Fine Art Photography, United Photo Industries, Grizzly Grizzly Gallery...).

She works as the marketing director for a magazine in Madrid, and lives between Madrid and Paris.

Artist Statement.

Ana Galan reviews the portrait formula that emerged in Italy towards the end of the 15th century, which associated, in painting, busts with landscapes.

Realistic portraits that do not aim to idealize the subjects' features; they are fragments of an essence. People are reduced to busts, substituting through synthesis, the whole for the part. Figures placed in a raised position before a wide and idealized landscape.

Windows, and at the same time, mirrors. Conflict between introspection and the projection of the subject inherent to strong portraiture. Transparency or reflection?


More information at www.anagalanphoto.com