The exhibition brings together the world of architectural and landscape photography by Manuel Álvarez Diestro and the vision of Karlos Gil through his audiovisual piece "Origin." Throughout the exhibition, architecture becomes an immersive and perceptive experience, configuring a world reminiscent of science fiction and cinematic imagery.
The show features 30 works in various formats, including large-scale photographs of different Asian metropolises such as Seoul, Chongqing, and Hong Kong. At the center of the exhibition space is a structure called "La Jaima", designed by curator Arancha Vidal to project the audiovisual piece.
«Umbral» by Manuel Álvarez Diestro y Karlos Gil. Photograph by Manuel Álvarez Diestro.
Project description by Manuel Álvarez Diestro and Karlos Gil
An Architectural Descent into a World of Pressure
Karlos and I descended into the Madrid subway for the first time, almost like two explorers venturing into a hidden underworld. That experience stayed with us.
Later, in my city, Santander, a tunnel was opened connecting the beach area with the city center. I began photographing the Tetuán Tunnel almost obsessively, capturing the erosion of the rock, the humidity, and the materiality, and pushing the images toward a territory closer to science fiction than documentary.
At that moment, we felt it was necessary to connect these two worlds. Thus, UMBRAL was born: a journey into the underworld that, at the same time, engages with the architecture of ultra-dense buildings.
We incorporated works photographed in various Asian metropolises—Seoul, Chongqing, Hong Kong—building a climax of extreme density, where the architecture reaches a point of almost oppressive intensity.
We were interested in generating a sense of hyperbolic depression: a parallel world that exists alongside us, but of which we are rarely aware.
The exhibition brings together these two perspectives: the architectural and structural language present in my work, and the more introspective and unsettling vision of Karlos Gil.
In the center of the exhibition space, within a structure we call the tent, designed by curator Arancha Vidal, Karlos Gil's film ORIGIN is projected, adding a new layer to this descent.
The exhibition can be seen at the Central Library of Cantabria (Concepción Arenal Room) until April 29, with the support of the Government of Cantabria and curated by Arancha Vidal (Arte Peatonal).
