Bill Armstrong at Palau de la Musica, Barcelona

The Renaissance series is part of Bill Armstrong’s Infinity collection, offering a meditative exploration of the human condition through the lens of history. Armstrong’s process involves photographing found images with the camera set at infinity, creating deliberate blur and distortion. The source material primarily consists of master drawings from the Renaissance, with some drawn from other historical periods. The technique of reproduction and manipulation—photocopying, cutting, painting, re-photographing—transforms these images, giving them new meaning and a contemporary context. This process can be seen as a "renaissance of the Renaissance."

Film Noir revisits the existential themes of classic black-and-white films from the 1940s and ’50s, using lush, saturated colour to deepen their resonance. The solitary, ghostly figures evoke a world of mystery and uncertainty, reflecting the heightened sense of ambiguity in contemporary life. Each image captures a moment just before or after a crucial decision—when the lone protagonist faces a difficult, dangerous choice. The weight of this decision is palpable, with uncertain consequences. These works hold a personal resonance for Armstrong, tied to a tragedy he experienced as a teenager—a time when his worldview darkened, and he began to see truth and meaning as elusive, possibly unattainable. It was during this period that his interest in Film Noir, hard-boiled detective fiction, and the writings of Camus, Sartre, and the existentialists became a guiding influence.