Helena Aguilar Mayans

I am a fine art/experimental photographer from Catalonia. I grew up in Olot, in the Garrotxa Natural Park, surrounded by nature I have always been fascinated by the magic of this volcanic area. I currently mostly work with analog and alternative/experimental processes. I also do the art direction for most of my photo shoots and I am very interested on developing work exploring the relationship with humans and wild nature. I am also interested on exploring the idea of the landscape as a container of emotions, a reflection of experiences, how a landscape can be associated to the personal and become a kind of cartography of emotions. My work constantly sinks on the relationship between nature or ruins and humankind. I feel photography as something magical, alchemical, ... I love to get lost into the woods and sneak into abandoned places, my photographies are a gate to outer realities I'm deeply interested on ancient traditions and nature. Time, the feminine, loss, decadence, and magic are other current themes in my work. Some of my sources of inspiration are the Brontë sisters, the Romantics, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Aestheticism and past eras, specially the Victorian period and the fin de siècle.
My work has been exhibited and published in various national and international media.

BA in Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona (2007-2012)
MA in Art Education and Teacher Training specialized in arts at the University of Barcelona (2012-2013)


Course in black and white photographic developing, University of Barcelona (2007)
Course in 19th century photographic processes: cyanotype and gum bichromate, University of Barcelona (2009)
Course in Lith printing, University of Barcelona (2010)
Course in photography and artist book making, University of Barcelona (2010)
Introductory course to conservative and protective processes of photographic objects, University of Barcelona (2011)
Photography: A Victorian Sensation, MOOC by the Universty of Edinburgh (2015)

"On Wuthering Heights" solo exhibition during BFOTO festival, Librería Ibor, Barbastro (2017)

"Remembrança" solo exhibition, Can Trincheria, Olot. (2016)

“Evasionistes d'Avui” collective exhibition curated by Ilaria Termolino, La Contra, Barcelona. (2016)

“Evasionistesd'Avui” collective exhibition curated by Ilaria Termolino, La Puntual, Mercantic de Sant Cugat del Vallès. (2015)

“Evasionistesd'Avui” collective exhibition curated by Ilaria Termolino, espai de lliure creació Carme Malaret, Sant Just Desvern (2015)

"SEITIES STUDIO: Exhibition at BRAVA BISTRO", Brava Bistro, Calgary (2014)

"SEITIES THEME ICON Publication Launch + Exhibition", Shelf life books, Calgary (2014)

“Heptagone” collective exhibition, La Maison du Canal, Paris (2014)

"Ennéagone" collective exhibition during les Rencontres Photographiques du 10ème, La Maison du Canal, Paris (2013)

“Uno Scatto per la feclicità” collective exhibition, palazzo della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, Reggio de Calabria (2013)

“Estudio 120m” collective exhibition, Würth museum, la Rioja (2013)

"Sortilèges" solo exhbition, Estada Juvinyà, Sant Joan les Fonts (2013)

Biennal d'Art jove, collective exhibition, Acadèmia de Belles Arts de Sabadell fundació privada, Sabadell (2013)

"Patrim 12" collective exhibition, Espai Volart, Fundació Vila Casas, Barcelona (2013)

"Mysterious Visions: Dreams, Fantasies and Mirages", collective exhibition, PhotoPlace Gallery, Vermont (2013)

"Paramnèsia" solo exhibition, Claustres del Carme, Olot, during "Olot Fotografia" (2012)

"S/T'12" collective exhibition, University of Barcelona, Barcelona (2012)

"Foto/Grafia/Lith", collective exhibition, University of Barcelona, Barcelona (2010)