JL Arce

JL ARCE (Valladolid, 1998)
"Till End"
Digital print on Hahhnemühle Museum Etching 350gms paper.
Copy 1 of 10.
Signed and numbered.
Framed with black aluminum frame
Certificate of authenticity enclosed.
Measurements: 50 x 65 cm; 53 x 68 cm (frame).

Member of the Royal Photographic Society. JL Arce is the artistic name of José Luis Martínez Arce, a photographer based in Spain whose work explores nature, urban life and architecture, combining a documentary approach with a poetic sensibility. His work is framed in a balance between spontaneous observation and meticulous composition, with a special inclination for photo-journalistic projects. Among his most recent works are his series on monastic life in Spain (2022-2024) and the traditional profession of bell ringer (2023-2024).

Trained in Audiovisual Communication and with a master's degree in photojournalism in Madrid (2016-2021), he began photographing in the Spanish capital, a city that remains a constant source of inspiration. Nonconformist and in perpetual search of new perspectives, he travels frequently exploring both urban and natural environments, challenging his own creative limits. His gaze is distinguished by closeness and an evocative approach that transcends the merely documentary, endowing his images with an introspective and narrative atmosphere. He moves with ease between opposite scenarios, from the density of the big city to the solitude of the mountain, finding beauty and meaning in both extremes.

He has exhibited his work in various spaces, both physical and online, in Madrid, Andalusia, Catalonia, Athens and Rome, in solo and group exhibitions. His work has shared space with renowned artists such as Ouka Leele and Cruz Novillo. An active member of the Real Sociedad Fotográfica de Madrid, in 2024 he was awarded the Fujifilm Prize for the best photograph on the 125th anniversary of the institution. For JL Arce, photography is an act of introspection, a visual language with which he gives voice to the ineffable, revealing fragments of his inner world through the image.