Hay Festival Segovia 2022

12:00 La Alhóndiga. Sede de Gales / Llwyfan Cymru

Opening of the Bernardo Pérez photography exhibition

Bernardo Pérez is one of Spain's most well-known photojournalists. With a career that began in the 1970s, in large part linked to the newspaper El País, he has witnessed the most important international events, and his camera has recorded wars, famines, climatic disasters, political changes, cultural and sporting events of the greatest significance. The exhibition is an anthological journey through a career that covers all genres of journalistic photography. His work is guided by his commitment to the right to have free and truthful information and his non-intervention in a situation. Including but not limited to portraits, travel reports and photographs of events, grouped in series such as Gente con luz, Los agujeros negros del Planeta or his work in progress: Bar.

With the support of Asociación Nacional de Informadores Gráficos de Prensa y TV and the City Council of Segovia.


12:30 Inauguration at Torreón de Lozoya

WATERBURNING

A sea of refracted light, created by the reflection of luminescence on small graduations of the shining surface of a myriad of very slightly mirrored glass discs. The effect of carefully calculated angles of light create strong caustics that illuminate this renaissance courtyard in an infinitely self-renewing work, “WATERBURNING”.

Subtle undulations of the reflecting surface give rise to a light map of gleaming nodal points, bright fields and areas of darkness. The sculpture itself appears only mildly undulating, but the sun amplifies each tiny nuance and turn in texture, illustrating the radically different outcomes created by small changes, inviting us to consider how small decisions generate ilarger nterconnected effects.

As always with the work of Daudy and Novoselov, this work combines art and science together to invite the viewer to consider the importance of each person in society. Empowering the individual to realise the valuable contribution each of us can offer to those around us, to the larger community, to our natural system and planet.

The materials used in this exhibition have been ethically sourced. Both the glass and metal are completely recyclable. Working with the renowned glass workshop of Alfonso and Pablo Muñoz, Daudy and Novoselov have taken care in sourcing low carbon-footprint materials and to celebrate the very best of Spanish artisanship here in Segovia, whilst reiterating the message that we, at every instant, have the potential to be a powerful agent for positive change.

"You don’t take photos with a camera, but with your head and your heart.” So says Bernardo Pérez, whose viewfinder has been aimed at those black holes around the planet suffering from violence, extreme poverty and the abandonment of human rights. His camera was also a witness to some of the main events of the Spanish Transition to Democracy, after he joined the founding team of El País in 1976, as well sporting events such as the Olympic Games, heads of state, international conflicts… Pérez has accompanied writers such as Juan Goytisolo and journalists like Maruja Torres on projects for El País Semanal magazine, assignments that have taken him around the Americas and Europe. He will talk to the Hay Festival Segovia about his experience, putting words to the Compromiso con la realidad exhibition that will accompany the festival, putting a selection of his images on show.

Pérez will talk to the journalist Aurelio Martín.

Event in Spanish