SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY | F&DEO GALLERY

 

 

 

Sentimental Journey presents a series of black-and-white photographs depicting swans on the Seine in Paris. It may seem a little clichéd, but that is precisely what makes this project fascinating. Some images reveal something different from what we might expect: a swan contorting itself, looking unappealing and somewhat unsettling, challenging the conventional image we associate with these graceful birds. We also recognise, of course, the “Brandão signature”: the familiar tenderness and generosity of her gaze (which may have caught the attention of the PhotoVogue curators, who awarded four images from the series).

Overall, however, this exhibition by a Brazilian artist who has made Madrid her home conveys a sense of familiarity. It is like attending a concert by a musician or composer we know well, watching a ballet, a play or a film for the tenth time. Being with people who are close to us. Eating everyday food. In the past, we might have used the word “classic”, meaning “very typical”, familiar. Some might call it boring, but the familiar is what grounds us and comforts us. In a world obsessed with novelty, Brandão presents images whose value lies in depicting what we already know.

The subject and technique may seem ordinary and commonplace, yet the result is romantic, enchanting and special. With Sentimental Journey, Brandão invites us to recalibrate our values. Her work suggests that what is special lies not in the new, but in the familiar. The artist chooses reflection and introspection over distraction. And in doing so, she gives us images that make us dream.

Text: Ana Araújo, F&deO Gallery.
Sentimental Journey exhibition. Madrid, 2022

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DATE: jun-jul.2022

CURATOR: Ana Araújo

PLACE: Galeria F&DeO, Madrid/Spain