Viva Valencia

The series exhibited at the IVAM rescues some marvellous creations by Ferran Adrià at El Bulli, as well as others by the fabulous chef Paco Torreblanca and his son Jacob, dishes by Sergi Arola, from Celler de Can Roca, from the superb Dos Palillos restaurant in downtown Barcelona, and from Miramar of Llançà, as well as the surprising mini-vegetables cooked by the Sales family in their Perpignan maison. The photographer seems to have taken shelter in a constellation of Michelin stars. He must be the only photographer to have worked for the two best restaurants in the world, according to Restaurant magazine: El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca. Our interest in the photographic works of this artist from the Ampurdán highlands lies in their exemplary contribution to the debate on the artistic value of photography. In fact, Guillamet does not only have a really polished technique, his art knowledge is also amazing. In other words, his self-conscious skill and his being part of the history of photography and the history of art are absolutely unquestionable: the most immediate interpretation of his works evokes multiple and suggestive references in modern art: from abstract painting in general, including geometricism and surrealism, but also expressive and lyrical painting. But on the other hand, the essence of Guillamet’s photographs suggests a ‘survey of reality’: in focusing on the state-of-the-art cuisine of El Bulli and that of other top restaurants, he promotes some sort of still-life hyper-reality that provides us with powerful images filled with unreal connotations. Though close to all abstraction styles – particularly the Surrealist one- and to still-life painting, these absolutely novel images give new vigour to the still-life genre thanks to the very original forms that can be found in today’s cookery. The final outcome of Guillamet’s work emits abstract and surrealist meanings but is actually based on a hyper-realist principle, as what he actually portrays is the reality created by very talented cooks like Ferran Adrià, Joan Roca, Sergi Arola or the Torreblanca family, for whom one of the most evident reasons for creation is changing the traditional order of the senses: taste and smell, of course, but as Guillamet shows, our sight too. The vision of two-meter long noodles, lolly-pop forests, bacon rashers hanging from the void, neo-constructivist rectangular cakes… is definitely amazing to the eye, even for those who are already used to artistic unreality.