Robert Adams

Monday was our last day in Madrid. Our flight was at 4pm which gave us time in the morning and I ambitiously wanted to see (in Reina Sofia) collection and two exhibitions: Dali, and Robert Adams retrospective. B. smartly decided that it would be too much and stayed in hotel. After I seeing the queue for tickets I dropped first Dali (too much crowd, never liked him so much, will tour elsewhere in Europe) then collection (will come back again), so RA remain. Which was not mistake. Adams with WE is my favourite photographer of older generation that is still active (that cancells out Robert Frank). But despite knowing his work I have never seen major exhibition of his works. I think this one is first in Europe. And his style may not be in fashion ( analog, bw, small prints, landscapes) but he is constantly moving and changing what real artist should do. Discovery for me was his pre New West work of mid sixties which is very strong, his "street snapshots" of children and parents and his very last works of few years ago. Also despite having most of his books, to see works in prints is something different. The only objection to the exhibition is that curators (in their notes) have put too much importance on political ( environment issues) of his oeuvre instead of tis pictorial qualities. To quote Paul Graham "I'm not polemicist, I'm artist".
After exhibition I met B and we had nice walk in the botanic gardens that are in vicinity of Prado. This photography was made there, just a nice vista, nothing special (as a photograph ). Only later when I uploaded madrid photos into Lightroom I realise that this was (out of 400 + photos I made) single landscape/cityscape. I doubt that I was thinking on RA (or on any of old masters great landscapes from TB museum) when shooting this, but when I was editing I thought this would represent the best that day.
Afterwards we had quick (still managed to smoke half cigar) linch at Ritz terrace and than run to the airport (almost missed the flight ) and back to cold London.