At just 19 years old, Max Saula is making his curatorial debut with a remarkable exhibition titled "Inheriting Dreams" at Galeria Alta, the gallery founded by his father in 2021. The exhibition, featuring an essay by Christian Caujolle, showcases Max's personal journey with photography and his unique perspective as a young curator inheriting a rich visual legacy.
"My father collected photos well before I was born, and from my earliest age, my parents took me to visit exhibitions, galleries, and fairs," Max explains. "For me, unlike many of my friends, photos hanging on walls were part of everyday life; I grew up surrounded by images." This early exposure to photography has shaped his understanding and appreciation of the medium in ways that set him apart from his generation.
Despite his youth, Max approaches his role with remarkable maturity and humility. "I have a lot to learn," he admits, while expressing sincere enthusiasm: "There are photos that immediately attracted me and that I still cherish deeply." As he prepares to install his first exhibition in the family gallery, Max approaches the opportunity with pragmatism and gratitude toward his parents and the trust they've shown in him.
What truly motivates Max is a sincere need for authenticity. He approaches his work as an amateur in the strictest sense – as a passionate admirer of art – and has chosen to exhibit only photographs for which he feels genuine affection. This authentic approach reflects his belief that being a gallerist means serving as an intermediary between artwork and the public, with the primary duty being to defend artists.
Max is fully aware that one's relationship with images evolves over time, a realization he has experienced firsthand. "Some photographs I wanted immediately have sometimes lost a bit of their charm, while others – photographs I perhaps hadn't understood or appreciated initially – have become essential to me," he reflects. "You learn to look, to really see. My father taught me a lot."
The exhibition features an eclectic mix primarily in black and white with subtle touches of color, dominated by 20th-century American photographers alongside some contemporary works. The collection doesn't defend any particular style or "school" of photography. While some images explore movement or abstraction, humanity remains at the heart of the work, from portraits to street scenes, from classic documentaries with undeniable signatures to images revealing traces left by humans in their environment.
The overall impression is one of classicism, enhanced by pleasant surprises and even a touch of humor. The entire selection breathes the pleasure of choosing freely, without being hindered by fashion or trends. Max recognizes that being a gallerist involves more than commercial transactions – it's about exchange of viewpoints, emotions, and ideas, where the gallerist doesn't just sell but transmits understanding.
At the heart of this remarkable initiative, made possible through his parents' encouragement, Max shares with others the photographs he cherishes. In doing so, he also becomes a representative of a younger generation accustomed to viewing images, especially moving ones, on screens of all sizes rather than studying prints and appreciating their subtleties.
The challenge lies in introducing this generation to the depth of photography – carefully crafted images before which Max "imagines the photographer's presence, tries to guess their intentions and understand what drove them to trigger the shutter, to compose the shot." The solution likely involves inviting viewers to slow down, linger before photographs, and look beyond the superficial through a mixture of surprise and emotion, precise composition, and touches of reverie or fantasy.
The exhibition features works by renowned photographers including Berenice Abbott, Bruce Davidson, Harold Edgerton, Louis Faurer, Frank Horvat, William Klein, Jessica Lange, Saul Leiter, Vivian Maier, Dolorès Marat, Ramón Masats, Ryan McGinley, Steven Meisel, Ray K. Metzker, Joel Meyerowitz, Gjon Mili, Sarah Moon, Marvin E. Newman, Dorothy Norman, Ruth Orkin, Pancho Saula, Louis Stettner, Larry Towell, Bruce Weber, Weegee, William Wegman, Clark Winter, and Txema Yeste.
"Inheriting Dreams," organized by Max Saula with an essay by Christian Caujolle, runs from September 11 through November 7, 2025, at Galeria Alta, located at Camí de les Majobarnes 6, AD400 Anyós, Andorra. Visits are by appointment only, and more information is available at www.galeriaalta.com.
