The “RESTAURO” (RESTORATION) project aims to explore the concept of image manipulation in contemporary photography. The vast majority of photographers use retouching to remove distracting elements from their photos, often creating an "ideal" image of reality, far from the everyday experience of the viewer.
This project seeks to highlight such manipulations while making the points where the original image has been altered evident. In a sense, it's a true restoration of the image, with interventions that are recognizable, compatible with the original, and minimal.
The works resulting from this project intend to provoke critical reflection on the creation of unattainable ideals of beauty through image manipulation.
Each photograph starts with a stimulating natural landscape but contains non-natural elements like people, buildings, or other objects. Subsequently, these elements are removed, but their outlines remain visible. These outlines are then filled with content that seamlessly integrates into the landscape, without completely erasing the trace of their removal.
This project challenges the traditional perception of retouched photography, offering a more honest and transparent look at the creative process behind the images we commonly see.
