Josep M. Casanoves Dolcet — “Japanese Giants of Reus” — Artistic photography

Artistic photograph by Josep M. Casanoves Dolcet dedicated to one of the most recognizable images of Reus popular culture: the Gegants Japonesos de Reus (Japanese Giants of Reus).

The composition places the female Japanese giant in the foreground, characterized by her elegant attire and the fan she holds in her hand, accompanied by her partner and the human atmosphere typical of the city's popular celebrations.

The treatment of the image transforms the photographic shot through a pictorial aesthetic, softening certain surfaces and reinforcing contours and tonalities until the photograph approaches drawing and painting.

The Gegants Japonesos de Reus

The Gegants Japonesos were created in 1956 by the Reus sculptor Ramon Ferran and incorporated into the city's set of giants as a representation of the Asian continent.

Since then, they have been a regular part of the festive imagery of Reus and participate in the city's main celebrations, becoming one of the characteristic elements of its popular heritage.

In this photograph, Casanoves Dolcet focuses the composition on the figures and visually reduces the urban environment, especially highlighting the faces, the attire, and the giant's fan.

Photography and pictorial treatment

The image combines the documentary basis of photography with a clear artistic intention.

The processing softens volumes and colors and reinforces certain lines of the attire and figures, producing an effect close to illustration. Pink, white, blue, and sepia tones dominate the composition and create an atmosphere that is more evocative than purely documentary.

The result is situated between traditional folk photography and graphic experimentation, keeping the original subject fully recognizable.

Josep M. Casanoves Dolcet

Josep M. Casanoves Dolcet has developed a long career linked to artistic photography and the photographic association movement in Reus and Catalonia.

Among his awards are the AFIAP—Artist of the International Federation of Photographic Art—and EsFIAP distinctions, in addition to various recognitions within Catalan and Spanish photography.

His activity has also been linked to the curatorship, organization, and judging of national and international photography competitions.

Technical Data Sheet

• Author: Josep M. Casanoves Dolcet.
• Title: Gegants Japonesos de Reus.
• Technique: Artistic color photography with digital treatment.
• Medium: Print on textured art paper with a deckled edge.
• Signature: Signed in pencil in the bottom right margin.
• Edition: No visible numbering.
• Subject: Catalan popular culture / Gegants de Reus.
• Location: Reus, Tarragona.
• Style: Artistic photography / contemporary pictorialism.
• Period: Contemporary Catalan photography.
• Provenance: Private collection.
• Documentation: Author's identification label preserved on the reverse.
• Condition: Good general condition, with slight signs of handling and preservation visible in the photographs.

Workshop Note

An image especially linked to Reus and its festive heritage, created by a photographer closely related to the photographic life of the city itself. Casanoves transforms a scene of popular culture into a composition with a marked artistic character, where the photograph acquires an appearance close to drawing and painting.