Manuel Morillo

Antigua, Sacatepéquez

Originally from Spain, Manuel Morillo is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Antigua. He came to Guatemala to work on a documentary photography project on marginalized children, called FotoKids. But after a year of documentary work, he had fallen in love with Antigua and decided to make his move permanent.

“Antigua is a magical place. You can walk everywhere and greet your neighbors. It's a different way of life.” he explains. He has worked to build the artist community in Antigua, composed of both locals and expatriates who appreciate the town’s commitment to craft.

From his art studio, Manuel has hosted live theater, poetry reading, music performances, puppet shows, and art exhibitions. But his primary love remains photography, especially experimental techniques. His specialties include documentary photography; using his homemade pinhole camera to capture ethereal images; composing multiple photos into panoramic installations; and chemigrams—where he paints developer liquid onto light-sensitive paper, using the chemical reaction to create abstract shapes and patterns.