Masterclass with Valentín Vallhonrat and Rafael Levenfeld

 Wed / 20 Sep/ 19:00 h
 Free admission upon withdrawal of an invitation. The invitation allows free access to the Museum on the opening day and the two following days. The exhibition rooms will be opened after the masterclass. 
MUN Theatre

The curators of the exhibition invite us in this Masterclass to a journey through the 18th and 19th centuries with the Museum's Collection.
the 18th and 19th centuries with the Museum's Collection.

A Promised Land. From the Age of Enlightenment to the Birth of Photography, is the culmination of the
culmination of the Museo Universidad de Navarra project, curated by Valentín Vallhonrat and
Vallhonrat and Rafael Levenfeld.

It shows the pieces of the collection that illustrate the thesis about the birth of photography and where its sources come from: observation and analysis of reality together with the organization of images that represent it, according to the parameters and needs of science: accuracy, precision, veracity, credibility, equivalence and detail, among others.

During the Age of Enlightenment, science and reason were established as the engines that would allow the progress of mankind. Travels and explorations became tools for science, from which to verify what was already known and, on the other hand, to open new paths that would facilitate the discovery of new wonders. In this exhibition, made up of almost 700 pieces composed of engravings, drawings and photographs, the visitor is accompanied from the great expeditions of the Age of Enlightenment and the beginning of the 19th century to the birth of photography.

To this trip to the East, traveling along the Mediterranean coast, is added his return trip to Spain, which connects with the oriental monuments of the south of the peninsula, that is, with all the photographs that artists imbued with the prevailing orientalism in Europe wanted to show as the existence of the East to the south of the continent. 

The transversality of the exhibition, all its different facets and approaches will be the object and subject of this masterclass, fundamental to understand the collection and the project of Museo Universidad de Navarra, but also the role of photography and image throughout time in society.

BIOGRAPHIES

VALENTÍN VALLHONRAT. Visual artist, photographer and expert in edition and conservation of artistic photography. Since 1982 his work has been exhibited in various national and international museums and galleries. Graduated in Information Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid. Professor until 2014 in the Master's Degree in Photography, Art and Technique at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. 

Since 1986 he has collaborated as a fashion photographer with La Editorial Conde Nast, in its German, English, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese editions, developing multiple national and international advertising campaigns. In 1990 he won the Cecil Beaton photography award. In the 90's he founded and directed a photographic workshop specialized in high quality editions for books, publications and multiple exhibitions around the world.

Associated with Rafael Levenfeld since 1996, he has developed an important work of archiving and conservation of photographic collections. Together they have curated over a hundred exhibitions, and have been responsible for the publication of numerous books for which they have received numerous awards. Both are currently the artistic directors of Museo Universidad de Navarra. 

RAFAEL LEVENFELD. After finishing his studies in Economics and Advertising in 1976, he became fully involved in the field of photography. His projects include the graphic direction of the magazine Procuradores in 1978 and 1979, the founding of the magazine Photovision with Joan Fontcuberta, Adolfo Martínez and Ignacio González in 1980, the creation of the Escuela de Técnica y Estética Fotográfica in Madrid in 1983 and the founding of Canvas (an exhibition design and assembly company) in 1989. He has been an advisor to the "La Caixa" Foundation from 1991-92 and to the National Art Museum of Catalonia since 1997. 

Since 1987 he has curated numerous exhibitions for various museums and national and international centers. He has made multiple interventions in his work of exhibition design and installation. He is also a photographer, teacher and editor.

Associated with Valentin Vallhonrat since 1996 for the archiving, conservation and exhibition of photographic collections, together they have developed the curatorial strategy for the development of the Museo Universidad de Navarra collection, as well as its digitization and conservation project. 

He is currently, together with Valentín Vallhonrat, artistic director of Museo Universidad de Navarra.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:

20 SEP '23-1 SEP '24 FROM THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT TO THE BIRTH OF PHOTOGRAPHY