Juan Carlos Alom - Catedral de plata

Author: Juan Carlos Alom (Havana, 1964)
Title: Silver Cathedral
Series: Day of the Black King
Year: 1993
Technique: black-and-white photography, silver gelatin on paper
Support: original photographic copy
Inscription: Title and series handwritten by the author on the mat.
Condition: Original from the period
Provenance: Private collection (study model of the work)
Certificate of authenticity:
The work features the artist's original handwritten inscription on the mat, corresponding to the title and the series.
Completed in 1993, Catedral de plata belongs to the series Día del rey negro, a conceptual set named by Juan Carlos Alom himself in the handwritten inscription that accompanies the work. In the context of the artist's photographic work in the early 1990s, the image is part of a symbolic exploration of the body, ritual, and the materiality of analog photography. The reference to the “silver” alludes both to the technical process—the silver gelatin— and to a poetic and almost sacred dimension of the image, where the intimate takes on a monumental character. The work preserves its original inscription, reinforcing its documentary value and its direct connection to the author's intention.
Their work has traveled the world: from exhibitions in Havana (Espacio El Apartamento) to shows in Barcelona, Germany, Brazil, and the United States. They have been recognized by Time as one of Time's 100 photographers.
The photograph is preserved in its original state, unlike the matting which shows stains from the aging of the gelatin-matte drawing paper from the Guarro brand. The author's signature appears in the lower right margin of the photo as Alin/1993 and on the matting the inscription: Catedral de plata ... Serie día del Rey Negro.. la Habana/1993