Open Theme 2nd place winner

"Dreamers of Decadence" is the title of a book written by Philippe Jullian on the decadent and symbolist movement. Taking these artistic movements as reference the project aims to explore the aesthetics of these movements as well as the concept of decadence as a way of escapism and dreaming. Derelict locations where nature is recovering its space again and women inspired by the works of the aesthetes, symbolists, decadents and all themes of the "fin de siècle" create these scenes that work as an evasion from the modern world.

Helena Aguilar Mayans is a fine art photographer from northern Catalonia. She loves to get lost into the woods and sneak into abandoned places, an important part of her shootings happen in derelict settings. She takes past artistic movements, history and literature as important references for her work: the Brontë sisters, the Romantics, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Aesthetes, the Symbolists, the Decadents...
She has a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts and her work has been shown in different exhibitions, mainly in Spain, France and Canada. And her work has also been published in different magazines: Shots, Enchanted Living, Seities, ...