In the history of art, it is often said that abstraction emerges when photography relieves painting of its representative function. Freed from being a mirror of reality, the visual arts develop various forms of abstraction—geometric, expressionist, lyrical, informal, etc.—in order to explore their formal possibilities and reflect on themselves.

Can something similar be proposed in the realm of photography? The decision to forgo reflecting the world is even more radical for a medium that was created precisely for that purpose. But are the reasons for delving into abstraction the same? And what are the connections between pictorial and photographic abstractions?

Rodrigo Alonso is an independent curator and university professor. He holds a degree in arts, specializing in contemporary art and new media. A researcher and theorist in the fields of technological art, photography, and performance, he is a key figure in the history and current state of this production in Latin America. He has published numerous essays and books on the subject. He was the editor of No sabe/No contesta. Prácticas fotográficas contemporáneas desde América Latina (Arte x Arte, Buenos Aires, 2008), and advisor and co-author of Vitamin PH: New Perspectives in Photography (Phaidon, London, 2006). As a curator, he has organized exhibitions in numerous institutions. In 2011, he was the curator of the Argentine Pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.

No prior registration is required for the event.

Fundación Larivière

Caboto 564, Arts District, La Boca.