Ghosts by José Calheiros by Almalusa

by JosĂŠ Calheiros

Ghosts

O fascínio pela Arte da beleza eterna TORRES Joalheiros comemora 105 anos de existência, uma empresa vocacionada para a arte joalheira e relojoeira. Estando em condições privilegiadas para compreender o lugar das artes no nosso panorama cultural, é com prazer que nos associamos ao apoio editorial desta original obra de arte fotográfica.

Nascemos, vivemos e morremos nas cidades.

Somos passagem efémera nas ruas e edifícios. Foram estes pressupostos que estiveram na base do trabalho fotográfico que aqui se reúne com o nome de GHOSTS, uma recolha de fantasmas, nós, no dia-a-dia das cidades deste mundo, embora dele façamos parte, mesmo sem perturbar o que nos envolve. Uma imagem quase virtual das pressas, das emoções, de momentos felizes, de tristezas, das formas como nos envolvemos com os lugares e as situações. São fotografias interpretativas desses momentos que fui “sentindo” ao longo de três anos de recolha. Cada uma delas tem uma história, uma lembrança, algo que fala comigo e que agora partilho convosco, esperando que sintam emoções, que se interroguem, que interpretem, encontrando novos sentidos com os vossos olhares. Este trabalho acontece em paralelo com a arquitectura e, tal como esta, foi feito com a paixão que dedico a tudo o que entendo ser importante. Agradeço a todos os que me apoiam e acompanham nesta viagem, nas longas esperas pelo momento certo e na incompreensão que por vezes provoco. Obrigado

José Calheiros

We are born, we live and we die in cities.

We’re just a fleeting passage on streets and in buildings. Those were the assumptions underlying the photography work gathered in this volume under the title of GHOSTS, a collection of ghosts in the daily life of the world’s cities, ourselves, although we are part of that world - even if we don’t disturb our surroundings. An almost virtual image of the hurry, the emotions, the happy moments, the moments of sadness, the ways we get involved with places and situations. These are interpretive pictures of such moments, which I was able to ‘feel’ during the three years I spent preparing this project. Each one of them has a (hi)story, a memory, something that speaks to me and I now wish to share with you, hoping to inspire you to feel emotions, to ask questions, to construe them, to find new meanings in them. This work happens in parallel with architecture and was done, like it, with the same deep passion I dedicate to everything I deem important. I wish to thank all of those who encourage, support and accompany me on this journey, during the long waiting for the right moment and in the incomprehension I sometimes cause. Thank you.

José Calheiros

CASA DA MÚSICA . PORTO

CENTRO CULTURAL DE BELÉM . LISBOA

MUSEU ENZO FERRARI . FIORANO

TATE GALLERY . LONDON

METROPOLITANO . LISBOA

REINA SOFIA MUSEO . MADRID

CAIXA FORUM . MADRID

”THE POOL” by JEN LEWIN . LISBOA

MUSEU DO ORIENTE . LISBOA

CENTRO DE ARTE MODERNA . LISBOA

SWFF OBSERVATORY . SHAGHAI

BERLIN

BERLINER DOM . BERLIN

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FUSHIMI INARI . KYOTO

NIKON BUILDING . TOKYO

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José is the architect of improbable wonders. He makes miracles with his camera. His eye, his talent, his heart turn reality in something of fantastic. The harmony of the pics is perfect, so the result is a joy for the soul and mind. Here, you can get lost in mystery of a running shadow or of a body that is pure mist. At the end, you can believe that we all are ghosts in a little bit of a fantastic space...

This may come across as a bit clichéd, but you simply cannot put into a few sentences the powerhouse of talent that is José Calheiros. Senior architect, world class photographer, a kind-hearted friend... These here are just some of the qualities that define this remarkable human being, and deservedly so, have won him acclaim and countless admirers from all corners of the world. KHURAM LAWRENCE. DUBAI

MARTA RAFFINETTI. MILANO . ITALY

I know José and his work through deviantART. He is one of those photographers lots of other photographers admire. In one word his work can be described as fantastic. His fashion shoots are mesmerizing but his street photography is where José truly shines and can give a few lessons to aspiring street photographers. I dare to say, some of his street shots can easily be described as “cult” or “classic”. You would assume that such a talented and popular artist wouldn’t have time or will to say thank you to numerous compliments he gets daily. But you would be wrong. He is one of the kindest and most humble people out there. I am honored to know him, at least “virtually”. José’s “Ghosts” is yet another interesting view on people, architecture, movement and life. MARINA CORIC . CROATIA

José Calheiros, a dear friend, architect, photographer and born with a special gift to see the world in a different perspective. For his book “Ghosts” he is a photographer inspired by the haunted echoes of people. Is art magic, or is magic art? I think, José is able to bring magic and art together in a sublime and fascinating way. He can bring the watcher into a special world. The speed of moving ghosts, together with the tranquility of non-moving objects in a cityscape, is fascinating. A riveting, spooky, yet earthy collection of photographs. ANS GRASSE VAN DER LAAN. AMSTERDAM . HOLLAND

Describe to me oh wise one, the source of light within this City of shades. JENNY STOKES . BEAUCAIRE . FRANCE

We always see people by their physics and never know what they carry inside of them. Some of them are so hallow while some of them are so dense in their moral world then we can see. Jose did capture the places with people in action so we are not being sure if they really exist or they are just some ghosts. First impression is astonishing; if they really exist or they are just some spirits hanging around. we can just understand their being by the tricks of our eyes. You can notice those people are not so heavy from the compositions of the photographs. But what happens if we combine it with the time and place? some of them are keeping many meanings and transferring it to the photographs and settling them along the time to that place. This is exactly the main question at Jose’s “Ghost series”. And we can have the correct answer by traveling through the pages. He invites us to explore the reality and relativity. AYHAN BAL . ISTANBUL . TURKEY

Are we moving fast so we are not able to leave a solid image or is life fast and we are not long enough in it? ALPHAN YILMAZMADEN. ISTANBUL . TURKEY Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Shakespeare: Macbeth Act 5, scene 5 OLGA TRUSKOVÁ . PRAGUE . CZECH REPUBLIC

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José – probably because he is an architect – has the ability to frame the “everyday” places of a city turning them into something “particular” through the shadows of a dancing humanity and a geometrical use of light. BATSCEBA HARDY . BERLIN . GERMANY

I was fascinated by José´s photography mainly because I started seing the world differently through his eyes. As an amateur myself, I had not “seen” the different facets and angles that really surround us all the time. His Ghost Series takes one to a totally unseen and brilliant dimension which is very intriguing. Who are they really and who are we really as well????? Do we exist as humans or are we simply past ghosts in a world of “now”??? Thank you my friend for widening the dimensions of what could be a very short-sighted universe and above all for making us THINK, WONDER and REJOICE....

of the corner of your eye - you need the “lack of focus” to see the hidden details in a clearer way... José knows his art (and his architecture), as well as the equipment he uses, to perfection - now he is helping us to use the the eyes and the brains we are gifted with to a greater perfection - to accept the ghosts are there for a reason, and go looking for the details he has sent them to show us.... now he’s a teacher too!!! MALCON LUGTON . CASCAIS . PORTUGAL

De ti como fotógrafo diría que tienes la habilidad de saber cuándo disparar tu cámara para congelar en el tiempo un momento irrepetible. No hay muchos que puedan hacerlo, además pones pasión en lo que haces y eso se comprueba fácilmente en tus fotografías, tan llenas de vida y mágicas al mismo tiempo. MARCOS RODRIGUEZ . GOIÁN . ESPANHA

TERESA IGLÉSIAS . CASCAIS . PORTUGAL

Saber olhar... saber sentir... saber que aquele é o momento...e... click! mais uma imagem que nos encanta, que nos toca, que nos inspira...! parabéns pelos GHOSTS! parabéns por seres como és!bem hajas por tudo o que aprendo contigoe pela amizade! LÚCIA PEDRO . LEIRIA . PORTUGAL

É para mim uma honra deixar por escrito a minha apreciação e admiração pelo teu trabalho. Adoro a tua fotografia.” RAQUEL VON KAMINARU .SINTRA . PORTUGAL

José Calheiros is one of the few artist photographer with whom humanism takes its true deep and soul meaning. José became a friend as we got to know each other on the art sharing website Deviantart.com. His eye has this very particular and so magical part of love for his environment and for the human being, how they interact, and with a lot of humor. Should it be depending on the fact he’s been travelling for years? Should it be due to the fact he’s such open minded and kind? Not only: Sometimes photography emerges from talent, the rare and precious talent needed to inspire through photographs any watcher. This book will demonstrate how photography nowadays and street photography particularly not only survive, but develops itself magicly well with such a photographer. José Calheiros is to me one of our world class photograph talent.

What comes first, the architect or the artist? I have no idea - for the artist I know is also a ghost - often we catch a glimpse of him, mostly we do not..... When I fist saw some of his “ghost” shots I though “he’s made a mess of this shot” - but after looking with “open eyes” I could see that all the “architectural details” were (as always) perfectly captured - but the ghost actually draws our eye to the finer details... this is rather like looking at a far away star out

HOUMAN SANCHEZ GUERRERO . YAHOUÉ . NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE

This new work by José Calheiros is an excellent example of José’s capacity to combine his architect’s skill with his photographer’s sensitivity. He is able to create all-involving scenographies, precise

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