Art Out: Txema Yeste at Staley-Wise Gallery
© Txema Yeste. Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York.
By Musée
There are things one can do with a camera that other mediums fail to accomplish. No reporter can do what the photojournalist can: when we read or listen, our minds are left to the grips of our imagination. But a photojournalist’s narrative allows us to visualize events, characters, and their stories with little room for imagination. Inspired by the work of William Klein, Spanish-born Txema Yeste began his professional career as a photojournalist, traveling the world to shoot real-life subjects and their stories for newspapers such as The Independent and The Observer. Yeste learned that these stories could be captured from different angles yet still maintain their element of truth.
© Txema Yeste. Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York.
Although the trajectory of Txema Yeste’s career led him to transition to fashion photography, lessons from his photojournalistic career remained, as well as his obsession with the story behind the image, the truth within his subjects.‘Crossroads’, Yeste’s first solo exhibition, is currently on display at the Staley-Wise Gallery in Lower Manhattan. It both documents his career as a fashion photographer and represents the convergence of his career paths; that of the journalist and the other of the storyteller.
In the digital age where fashion photography is evolving at a rate more constant than ever before, Yeste has established a documentary-style approach. While his subjects and the stories he tells have significantly changed since his start, Yeste still conveys real messages rather than simply capturing clothing and accessories. His figures are bold and dynamic. He captures movement perfectly, often relying upon the depth of the subject to tell the story.
© Txema Yeste. Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York.
The exhibition also breaks from traditional modes of fashion photography, which is commonly shot in digital. Yeste’s artistry is visible in the techniques and methods in which he produces his prints. What is most unique about ‘Crossroads’ is the spellbinding color palette Yeste incorporates in this collection of transfer-dye and gelatin-silver prints. Evoking the unexpected and surprising, the technical aspect of these prints show what vibrancy is possible when unconventional approaches are used.
© Txema Yeste. Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York.
Yeste’s fashion photography has been prominently featured in top-fashion magazines around the world, most recently shooting Kim Kardashian in Vogue Arabia’s September issue. However, his ‘Crossroads’ exhibition is a highlight of his career, paying homage to his style as an unconventional photographer and growth as a visual storyteller.
© Txema Yeste. Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York.
Txema Yeste's “Crossroads” will be on view at Staley-Wise Gallery from September 12th through November 2nd, 2019.
