The Spanish photographer and publicist died on Tuesday at age 87 and spoke with LOC a few days ago
Barcelona publicist Leopoldo Pomés wins the National Photography Prize
Readers will wonder what Gene Kelly (83) and Gwyneth Paltrow (46) have in common. Obviously, both belong to the history of cinema. However, what sets them apart are manners. While the star of Singing in the rain was a true gentleman when she became the first celebrity to star in the announcement of the Freixenet bubbles (1981), the protagonist of Shakespeare in Love was a witch (2006). Role that, by the way, has not yet played on the big screen (but behind many times).
In No es sin (Tusquets Editores), Leopoldo Pomés (87), with the help of the journalist Lídia Penelo, portrays some biographical aspects of his hedonistic life. As one of the best publicists and photographers of the second half of the twentieth century, as well as inventor of the bubbles, the artist confesses that while they shot the famous Christmas announcement he approached the actress to tell him if he wanted to see what they shot that day with his partner Ángel Corella, one of our best classical dancers. Why did you think to ask! His posh poses differ from the larva of fire that came out of his mouth: "No, I could vomit!" At least, he said it in Castilian Manchego, as a worthy favorite daughter of Talavera de la Reina (Toledo). Luckily, Marie-Chantal Miller (married to Paul of Greece, cousin of King Philip VI), or Rosario Nadal (former daughter-in-law of King Simeon of Bulgaria) are among her circle of friends.
Due to his aching health, Pomés' family has forbidden him to do interviews, but with LOC he made an exception, even if it was by email. After that unpleasant event, and once the words are settled, he says: "Well, anyone has a bad day." And with respect to the concept of star, he adds: "Not everything that shines are stars. It depends on human quality, it is not a generational issue."
Before his eyes has passed the crème de la crème of the artistic jet set. Ava Gardner was on the Costa Brava and Pomés wanted to look closely at that myth of his childhood that had eroticized the world. Oh, blessed combination of magic and determination! He had two for one. There were Ava and her then third husband, Frank Sinatra, who had traveled there to know if she put the horns on her (and good antlers with the help of the ex-warrior and actor Mario Cabré). Flour from another sack was the historic edredoning of Ava and Dominguín. Pomés describes it without artifice: "It was not a sin." Another shocking moment in his life was seeing the genius of the painting Joan Miró sucking the shrimp heads and getting his hands dirty with the sauce. "It didn't make me drop the myth of the pedestal. I would even say that the aroma excited me."
As a great observer of the Gauche Divine, he showed that Teresa Gimpera's intangible beauty was the perfect metaphor for being a muse of this cultural trend: "He is a true angel and a wonderful professional." By the way, much has been written about this movement of artists and intellectuals. "But it has not been done well. It is a complex issue, there were very valuable and interesting people, but not all. I had the pleasure and luck to share many intimate moments with several of them" like Ricardo Bofill, Terenci Moix, Serena Vergano, Vargas Llosa (without Isabel Preysler, of course) or Gabriel García Márquez, who Pomés made discover in his house the music of Armando Manzanero. In those crazy sixties and early seventies, crazy nights were lived in Boccaccio, the place of reference in Barcelona la nuit, and enjoyed the cinema of La Escuela de Barcelona, formed by Vicente Aranda, Jaime Camino or Jacinto Esteva.
In 1961 he founded Studio Pomés, a kind of think tank where more than 3,500 ads were born. Pomés might well have been the made in Spain version of Hitchcock, because of his predilection for portraying blonde women he launched to fame. Among them, Margit Kocsis, protagonist of the cognac spot Terry riding barefoot and without a chair a white steed that caused a scandal in Franco's Spain because many had imagined her naked; Teresa Gimpera with the Rodiflex tights brand and, of course, with the mother of her four children and creative partner, Karin Leiz, who was the first Freixenet bubble. Again, he defines them as "true angels."
Undoubtedly, Leopoldo Pomés was part of the Spanish graphic history. He was the architect of the inauguration of the World Cups in Spain in 1982. He was very cushioned. During the rehearsals, the white dove that left the sowing ball went towards the ground, but when the big day arrived it flew out and Pele, from the box, cried with emotion. He was also the image strategist of the Olympic Games of Barcelona. He turned the city into the epicenter of the world, but how did he see it today and where is it headed ?: "It has improved, but it has somehow become a sample of facades." It has rained a lot since he was riding his first photographic laboratory in the bathroom of his parents' house. For his contribution to the world of arts, in 2018 Leopoldo Pomés received the National Photography Prize.
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