New York: Pedro Almodovar at the Marlborough gallery

Photographic still lifes by Almodovar are presented for the first time at New York’s Marlborough gallery on 57^th street from April 30 – June 29, 2019.  The WAITING FOR THE LIGHT exhibition with 25 digital prints of which 17 were displayed reflects a new chapter in the two-time Oscar winning film director’s artistic life.  It is his first exploration of photography focusing on everyday objects; flowers and glass ware from his home create still lifes which are accentuated by positioning them against backdrops, painted surfaces with colored single or multiple backgrounds.  These still lifes are a celebration of shapes and color enhanced in some photographs by enclosing wilted flowers.  The title of the exhibition reflects the use of natural sunlight for his compositions.  All images were shot with a digital camera in his home.  The images in the exhibition were printed on cotton paper mounted on aluminum dibind in editions of 5 each including 2 artist prints. The exhibition proved a resounding success with many prints sold already after four weeks into the two month run of the brisk show.  Costs of a print range from $3,200 to $6,500.

For Almodovar, his photographic creations are easy to live with, pretty, and pleasant, as distinct from his provocative films. In interviews he observed that engaging in photography reduces his anxiety and that the work can be called decorative art. The still lifes are realistic, pop-colored, and soothing and the wilted flowers in some compositions bring movement and life. It is noteworthy that the Almodovar exhibition has a relatively small enclosed gallery space at Marlborough. Almodovar’s digital prints are shown there while a painting and sculpture exhibition is held during the same time period in the large adjoining space. It includes superb works by 14 artists like Francis Bacon, Fernando Botero, Paula Rego, Zao Wu-Ki and Jacques Lipchitz.  For the observer, the contrast between Almodovar’s work and the paintings and sculptures presented by Marlborough is exemplary. The discrepancy between charges for a print by Pedro Almodovar and a painting by Fernando Botero is extraordinary. On the opening day there was an overflow audience in the Almodovar section with individuals chasing for selfies with the film director leaving little space for him. An individual I spoke to explained that she loved his films and that she will try to buy a specific print since it matches her living room furniture, a motivation Almodovar would not object to.

Claus Mueller filmexchange@gmail.com