Toni Catany

TONI CATANY (Llucmajor, Mallorca, 1942–Barcelona, 2013).
“Petra,” 1992.
Copy made in 2015 from the original negative.
Silver bromide gelatin on baryta paper, selenium-toned.
Stamp of the Toni Catany Foundation on the reverse.
Edition of 81 copies.
Developed at the Rebellab Laboratory.
Certificate from the publisher included.
Measurements: 38 × 28 cm (image); 40 × 30 cm (paper).

“Petra” is part of Toni Catany’s archaeological and travel-themed body of work, which centers on his fascination with the Mediterranean, the ancient world, and ruins as visible vestiges of memory. Within this body of work, titled “Obscura memòria,” the photographer traveled to historical sites in various countries, including Jordan, to explore the passage of time and shared cultural roots.

The architecture carved into the rock dominates the composition, while the solitary figure of the horseman—reduced to a silhouette in the lower right corner—establishes the monumental scale of the landscape. The intense hallmarks of black and white, the pronounced texture, and the depth of the shadows transform the archaeological site into an almost timeless vision. This same photograph was highlighted by Cristina García Rodero as an image representative of Catany’s wanderlust and his search for beauty in other cultures.

The selenium toning intensifies the density of the blacks and reinforces the mineral quality of the scene. The print thus preserves the physical and evocative dimension that characterizes the artist’s work, for whom travel was not merely geographical documentation but a way of connecting landscape, history, and personal memory.

A self-taught photographer and creator of a particularly personal body of work, Toni Catany explored landscape, portraiture, the nude, and still life. He received the National Photography Prize in 2001 and the Ramon Llull Prize for the Arts in 2003. His work is held in institutions such as the Reina Sofía Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, and the Centre Pompidou.