Alucinosis

"Alucinosis" is a unique photographic project that emerged from a fortuitous accident and evolved into a fascinating visual exploration. During a move, Fernando Maquieira forgot a box containing his archive of slides in the basement of his studio. Years later, when he attempted to recover them, he discovered that the humidity had created an ecosystem of fungi and bacteria that altered the photographic emulsion layers of the slides.The result of this natural process is an unexpected visual universe, where the original images were transformed into psychedelic and abstract compositions. These photographs, far from being a mere record of deterioration, transport us to a world of shapes and colors that evoke a hallucinatory experience, as if nature itself had intervened in the creative process.

The book combines elements of photography, science, and art, exploring how biological processes can alter and reinterpret human work. The resulting images are not only a testament to the passage of time and the action of nature but also a reflection on the fragility and transformation of photographic materials. Maquieira uses this phenomenon to invite the viewer to reflect on the relationship between chance, creativity, and natural intervention. The photographs become a bridge between the tangible and the intangible, the real and the imagined, evoking a state of "alucinosis," a term that refers to altered perceptions in the absence of external stimuli.