Crescent moons, bending branches, manicured garlands and grouped balloons: these are the objects that characterise the colourful self-portraits of self-taught Spanish photographer Fares Micue (b. 1987). The images are dreamlike, hopeful, and, at times, surreal – the artist’s facial features obscured entirely by blooming flowers and folded paper cranes. In these compositions, symbolism is key, with each object placed carefully to respond to the language of the body, as it presents itself to the viewer. Each photograph includes subtle indicators of emotion, as a hand is placed guarding the abdomen, or a head tilts upwards hopefully. Micue notes: “I want my work to be viewed as a whole story condensed into a singular frame.” High contrast is also important here, favouring simple compositions with slight differentiations; luminous yellow petals and pillar-box red origami are left to hold focus.
Image Credits: 1. Fares Micue, Romantic Sonata (2021).
2. Fares Micue, The Happiness Source (2020).
3. Fares Micue, A Lesson About Selflove (2020).
4. Fares Micue, Drops of Serenity (2019).
5. Fares Micue, Follow Me to Loveland (2020).
6. Fares Micue, Camouflage (2019).
7. Fares Micue, Romantic Sonata (2021).
8. Fares Micue, Burning Energy (2019).
9. Fares Micue, I Choose You (2021).
10. Fares Micue, Imaginary Prison (2020).
