21 Years in Hell: Marilyn Manson by Perou in La Termica

Ralph Perou: 21 Years in Hell

For over two decades, British photographer Ralph Perou has been photographing Marilyn Manson. His exhibition 21 Years in Hell is a collection of these photographs exhibited in La Termica, Malaga since October 2020.

La Termica Malaga

La Termica is located just outside of the city of Malaga past the Russian Museum. It’s a beautiful building covered in traditional Spanish tiles and was used as a hospital and a school for children in need in the past. Now it is a cultural centre and “cultural container” and offers art residencies, workshops, training and support to creators and entrepreneurs.

Having seen that the Marilyn Manson exhibition was closing during the week, we decided to make a visit to see it last Sunday.

It was a really sunny day, just perfect for a cycle particularly when there a cycle lanes for most of the way there and back. One of the cycles lanes led past a nice bar which we saw on the way to the photography exhibition so I made a mental note to myself to suggest to Enid that we should stop for a caña of beer and a glass of wine as passed on our return journey home. The featured picture shows you what she thought of that idea!!

Images of the Perou / Manson Photographic Exhibition

The exhibition was truly stunning. Perou’s work is phenomenal in that just about every photograph looked like it should be featured as an album cover. Marilyn Manson of course is a work of art in himself in that he seems to use his body as a canvas in which he paints himself with make up or covers himself up with striking clothes, or alternatively he takes off his clothes and exposes his body (or canvas) in it’s raw state.

All in all the energy that is exuded from the photographs and the exhibition as a whole is pure electric and they give great insight in to the world of Manson. From looking at the works, I would imagine that Perou and Manson have a very familiar relationship with one another and that they respect each other greatly. They allow each other do the thing that they do best and the results are apparent.

It was a riveting exhibition of superior work. I’m very glad I got to see it before it closed.

Here’s pics of the show for you to enjoy:

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

PIGSY Instagram

To see more PIGSY art pics and also to see what I am getting up to here in Malaga in Spain, follow me here on Instagram - it’s where you will find all my best stuff!!

Art Opening: David Burbano at La Casa Amarilla, Malaga, Spain

Art Opening: David Burbano at La Casa Amarilla, Malaga Spain

“Goodbye Summer” en La Casa Amarilla

As an Irish man it was very significant for me to be going out to attend a live art opening on the very day that Ireland closed down under the hardest lockdown in Europe. It felt particularly emotional because of the specific art opening that I attended.

The exhibition I attended was“Adíos Verano” by David Burbano and translated to English this is “Goodbye Summer”. Given what is happening in Ireland today, many Irish people may consider it to be the ending of the good days of Summer harking to the words of the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney “If we can Winter this one out, we can Summer anywhere”.

Curator Roy Laguna writes that “Goodbye Summer is a duel. Not only the own emotional process that follows the loss of a loved one, but also the transition from childhood to compulsory maturity and the building of character. Losing a loved one is losing a part of yourself that is never recovered. No one will be able to take their place and, even if we want to, we cannot replace their presence”, he further goes on to write, “that memory is the engine to continue, to move forward and to say goodbye forever. Other summers will come. New goodbyes to assimilate.”

“Goodbye Summer” is a powerful exhibition that will challenge the viewer particularly in times like this when we value so much the opportunity to visit art shows in real life and not virtually behind a screen. Art sometimes is more about what is just purely on view but can also be about the action of physically being present in the room looking at the art in reality. As my fellow country men are locked down in Ireland I value highly and appreciate immensely being able to attend an art opening in person.

The Burbano photographic exhibition in La Casa Amarilla is a cohesive collection of very beautiful and emotive photographs. The striking images draw you in and lead you along a trail where the final most challenging, somewhat unnerving, but most powerful image is. From concept to detailed execution this is an extremely sophisticated and though provoking exhibition by David Burbano.

“Adíos Verano” is open until 29th of November in La Casa Amarilla on Calle Santos in Malaga.