20161108_MUN_InfinitoArtificial

Fernando Maselli, Buenos Aires, 1978, reflects in the exhibition Artificial Infinity on the aesthetic concept of the Sublime. Through images of mountain landscapes he approaches Burke's and Kant's theories on The Sensible and The Spiritual. "In my work I don't look for the Beautiful, attention to unite beauty with fear, nostalgia, loneliness... Issues that are close to the concept of the Sublime", explained the artist.

The Argentinean came to the world of photography through painting. In his adolescence he made charcoal drawings inspired by commercial photographs. "In my works you can see that reminiscence in the textures of the mountains as they are reminiscent of the graphite of those early drawings," explained the artist. In addition, just as the painter goes outside and makes sketches with which he then creates the landscape in his studio, he also takes photographs outside and then, in his studio, composes a new landscape artificially. He achieves this through montages with the repetition of elements that recreate an idyllic but invented landscape, in which grandiloquent views predominate, facing the majesty of nature.

The landscapes of Artificial Infinity are the result of the artist's solo excursions. "I had to prepare myself physically and take mountaineering courses before starting this project", Maselli assured, "in those crossings I could feel the terrifying Sublime, there were moments of great fear where I could discover myself at the level of staff".

In the Argentinean artist's work can be seen reminiscences of romantic painters such as Turner or Caspar David Friedrich. Like these artists, Maselli confers an important role to the elements of nature, however, he differs from them by the absence of the human figure. "I want the viewer to be grounded in nature and to discover that sense of nostalgia. The viewer is that human figure that is missing in my work," said the artist.

Maselli's work continues with the reflections on landscape by other artists who have exhibited at the Museum; Orogenesis, by Joan Fontcuberta, 42ºN by Javier Vallhonrat and Nitrate, by Xabier Ribas. The exhibition Infinito Artificial can be seen at the Museum until April 15.