Culture clash

They look like scenes from a dodgy South American soap opera - all kitsch settings, brash colours and absurd melodrama. But these staged images by Argentinean photographer Marcos Lopez are trying to get at something a bit more serious than their appearance might suggest. There's a bit of a cultural battle going on as Lopez spoofs the infiltration of popular culture and commercialism into his homeland, while snatches of Latin America's true identity (such as religious practise, the odd glimpse of Buenos Aires or a comedy appearance by national Tango hero Carlos Gardel) fight for due attention. The whole thing seems to be self-consciously masking some rather sad realities.

Holly Kyte