His works have been presented in more than 80 exhibitions worldwide and published in several illustrated books. He attracted particular national and international attention with his illustrated book »Pakistan Now«. His new illustrated book about Indonesia, »Tropics & Traditions«, has just been published.

You can also find out more about Manolo on Instagram from Wednesday, December 18, 2024. He will take over the laif account until Sunday and report on his work.

laif at Instagram

Katja Kemnitz has interviewed him:

I asked myself this question again and again while I was working on the book. It is of course impossible to portray a country with almost 300 million inhabitants in all its facets in a single book. That’s why for me it’s very much about capturing the atmosphere. But to do that, you first have to get a feel for the country in all its complexity. And that can take longer than you think.

In the case of Indonesia, that ended up being five years and 45,000 kilometers of travel for me. During this time, of course, more and more great impressions and images are added. This means that the selection process and the reflection and categorization of the experiences take on a special significance.

By completely immersing yourself in the country. You have to get rid of your own preconceptions and embark on a journey of discovery into the unknown. If you only tick off your expectations, you will only end up with an expected result. I meet people and let them surprise me. It could be the tea seller on the corner or the tribal leader in his palace.

A conversation at eye level requires a lot of empathy, respect and trust. This often opens doors to unexpected possibilities. In addition to the human factor, time also plays a role. Even if patience is not my greatest strength, you often learn more about a country and its inhabitants than you think while waiting.

The funding for my personal projects actually always comes from my own resources. With a project like »Tropics & Traditions«, my artistic self-realization and the idea of being able to make a difference with my work are definitely in the foreground.

With a good commission, I can earn more money in a week on my doorstep and I’m certainly not exposed to such stresses and strains. But perhaps it’s precisely this challenge that pushes me to my limits, that fulfills me and gives my work meaning. Other people go skiing or skydiving to compensate, I go to work. And at the same time, it’s the best training for special assignments, as I always know from my experience what I can deliver.

It has to be a topic that I know I won’t say after a few months: »Ok, now I’ve understood it all and there’s not much more to say about it.« At the same time, it should have a timeless character that will still be relevant in ten or twenty years’ time.

Doubts constantly accompany me with my own projects: Is anyone other than me actually interested in the stories? Will I even find a publisher for them? Is it really worth sleeping over a pigsty or losing my leg for it?

Inner doubt is probably the corrective that accompanies me when I’m out on my own. But there are always moments when a project comes to a standstill. My motivation then often comes from the conviction that I can achieve something with the pictures that is greater than my own work.

The more you travel, the more places end up on your bucket list. So my list is very long. I would be very interested in the Arctic regions of Russia. After traveling in the Arctic in Alaska and Europe and observing the serious changes due to climate change there, I would be interested to see how the inhabitants there are adapting to the new circumstances. I would also love to go on an expedition ship and support the work of the scientists.

I think in times like these, it’s good to join forces to make a difference. I also like laif’s moral compass, which has become extremely important right now.

Manolos Portfolio

book Manolo