Alberto Sánchez

Spanish / Australian Alberto Sánchez is a photographer and multimedia artist based between Byron Bay and Madrid. Sánchez prints, hacks and re-invents his own photographs using a unique hand colouring technique, creating his own form of magic realism where photographic documentary is meshed with improbable landscapes. His work explores the notions of urban expansionism, capitalism and how individuals see themselves in an increasingly overloaded sensorial environment.

Alberto’s unique hand-coloured artworks have been gaining increased popularity over the last few years. The artist travels the world with his unique vision, taking photographs in black and white of the cities and landscapes that captivate him. Each work is then uniquely hand-coloured by the artist and is an original work of art.

His work has appeared in many press articles and publications. Awards include: Bowness Photography Prize, Prometheus Visual Arts Award, Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Olive Cotton Award, Head On Alternative Portrait Awards, Australian Institute of Photography Runner-Up QLD Portrait Photographer of the Year. Alberto is represented by Retrospect Galleries.

“Photography gives certainty, the camera records something that is, something that exists. I use black and white photography to minimise interference with perceived time or expectations of place. The fluorescent colours I use have an unnatural, almost sci-vibrancy. At the same, I want the viewer to be aware that it has been intervened by hand, an illustrative narrative only achieved through the physical application of paint. The painting modifies what is already there. I search for balance between photography and paint, which then becomes a hybrid of both.”