Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Pere Ibañez majored in film making and screenwriting. Heavily influenced by horror and sci-fi movies from the 80s, his work has developed a signature characteristic of showing nightmarish scenes and intensely emotional displays in riotous color and stark contrast. The extreme effect of his works set them apart from those of mainstream photography.

However, behind the shocking images is a nuanced understanding of human nature and its demands. The drama of real life is understated. Ibañez's photos exaggerate the situations themselves to show the true depth and tragedy of their impact.  

The genuine artistry of Ibañez has been embraced by the world. His work has rapidly taken over the Internet, quickly becoming a word-of-mouth phenomenon. His first photographic collection, EneME, has been released in 22 countries to date. He currently lives in Beijing, China, where he takes most of his photographs.

In February 2010, just two months after releasing his first 3 photographs, Ibañez received his first award in New York and eventually topped the sales charts. Two years later, he was featured in exhibitions across the US, Asia and Europe. Chosen artist of the month by both NGOs and art magazines, he has more recently worked with NGO Peace for Humanity to raise funds through solo exhibitions for victims of domestic violence.

With this new release, The Leftlovers makes a statement: Pere Ibañez's work doesn't follow trends or cater to the pop market. Instead he is constantly evolving his style, illustrating social issues and the depths of the human soul.  Love it or hate it, his work delivers a message with pieces that stare penetratingly into society.  Ultimately, they lend a unique vision of the world through the artistic lens: twisted and dark yet sensitive and always with a glimpse of hope.

Briana C. Van Craeynest

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