This exhibition explores the second installment of Valery Katsuba's Romantic Realism series, focusing on themes of travel, human connection, and physical effort. Through analog photography, the artist examines the intersection of memory and reality, proposing a modern dialogue with classical artistic traditions.
In this second part of Romantic Realism, Valery Katsuba shifts his focus to a more contained register, articulating a narrative centered on three fundamental pillars: travel, interpersonal connection, and the body in effort. Acting as a cartographer of the senses, Katsuba traverses various geographies, from St. Petersburg and Madrid to Havana and London, transforming these locations into spaces where lived experience and memory meet. His work is rooted in the tradition of analog photography, utilizing medium and large format cameras to capture scenes that explore the delicate balance between reality, empathy, and the sublime.
Drawing inspiration from the relationship between painting, sculpture, dance, and architecture, Katsuba proposes a new reading of the classical heritage, viewing the human body as a measure of beauty and a mirror of the human condition. Curated by Sebastiá Mascaró and the artist himself, the exhibition serves as a profound reflection on the dignity of the body, the passage of time, and the continuity of artistic traditions. By capturing these universal landscapes, Katsuba invites visitors to reflect on the persistence of human spirit and tradition across different cultures.