THE WONDER YEARS
Year 2024
LIMITED EDITIONS
100 Units 13 x 16 inch
€125 including VAT and shipping*
At first glance, seeing an adult soaring above the clouds on a swing might seem like an act of chronic immaturity, but it's actually a declaration of defiance. Gonza has turned his bed into a playground where the laws of physics and social decorum have no jurisdiction. There's a profound wisdom in refusing to accept that the bed is only for resting the body from work fatigue; for the child—and for the Gonza who refuses to grow up—any plank hooked to a tree is enough for enjoyment.
The philosophy of childhood lies in the ability to see the world without the filter of cynicism. While adults seek utility and benefit in every action, children dwell in "serious play," that capacity to engage with fiction until it becomes more real than reality itself. At what exact moment do we exchange that capacity for wonder for the security of a predictable routine? We spend our lives building walls of seriousness to protect ourselves, forgetting that true invulnerability lies in the imagination, the one that doesn't need a passport to cross borders.
This scenario raises an uncomfortable question: Have we matured or have we simply rusted? We often confuse growing older with losing our youthful exuberance, believing that responsibility is incompatible with fun. Nietzsche spoke of the transformation of the spirit into "the child" as the final stage of human evolution: a "holy affirmation," a new beginning, and a wheel that turns on its own. Perhaps Gonza isn't running away from his obligations, but rather exercising that atrophied muscle that allows us to create our own values and rules of the game.
What is clear is that anyone can untangle those curls after swinging all night. Let's hope the curly method doesn't take he all morning and part of the afternoon.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND PUBLISHING COMMITMENT
If you have decided to purchase a unit of The wonder years, you've made an excellent choice. You're not investing in just another photograph: i don't sell catalog prints. While a large print shop might produce 100,000 copies of a blank image for any waiting room, I'm limiting this essay to a select few. It's the difference between decorating a wall and imbuing it with an identity shared by only a small group of people.
Why such a small edition?
- Workshop Warranty: Limiting the series allows me to personally certify that every cotton fiber and every drop of ink is exactly where it should be.
- Finitude: Just as an honest conversation can't have a thousand participants at once without getting lost, these pieces are limited in size so that the dialogue between the paper and the viewer remains intimate. We don't want to trivialize ideas that have taken years of study as if they were just a merchandising product.
Display standard
- Paper: I only use the best exhibition photographs papers: Canson Baryta 310 g/m² and similar.
- Authenticity: Each work includes certificate of authenticity signed by hand and a system of double void hologram to ensure the integrity of the copy.
File note: Apart from the 100 limited editions, there are 2 AP and 3 large format museum edition copies (Giclée process).
Printer's Note: I apply standard museum margins (10% on the sides/top and 20% on the bottom). The artwork is signed on the right margin, but if you prefer it signed on the back or without the signature, I can adjust that. What matters is the idea.
Shipping: I'm deliberately overly cautious with the protection; it personally pains me to see a piece arrive damaged. Inside the package, you'll find the artwork wrapped in acid-free tissue paper, a certificate of authenticity, care instructions, cotton gloves, and a few other surprises. I also use recycled wood and cardboard with as little plastic as possible to make the packaging environmentally friendly.
* Shipping included within mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. For other areas, shipping costs are calculated automatically before payment.