Untitled, 2003

Chema Madoz   Emerging artists

Born in Madrid in 1958, Chema Madoz is one of the most distinctive Spanish photographers of his generation. He discovered photography as a self-taught artist in the early 1980s, during the creative surge of the Movida madrileña, the vibrant cultural movement that followed the end of Franco's regime. Early in his career, he developed a unique style that blends minimalism, surrealism, and poetic visual language.

Chema Madoz's work centers around a deeply conceptual approach to everyday objects. In his studio, he collects items found in flea markets, secondhand shops, or even discarded on the street—ordinary objects like books, ladders, watches, or shoes. Through careful transformation and unexpected combinations, he removes them from their utilitarian context to reveal hidden meanings and new narratives. His visual world evokes the dreamlike sensibility of Magritte and the playfulness of a modern-day cabinet of curiosities.

For over three decades, his black-and-white silver gelatin prints have composed a poetic inventory of reality, reimagined through a lens of illusion and metaphor. Each photograph becomes a visual poem, inviting viewers to question their perceptions and rediscover the familiar with fresh eyes.

Celebrated with numerous awards and featured in major international institutions, Chema Madoz has established himself as a leading figure in contemporary photography, known for his formal precision and symbolic depth.