Meli established himself as a photographer in Figueres in 1945, when he set up premises on the Rambla. From his studio he observed the great vitality of Empordanese society. Through his work, Meli soon made the acquaintance of other artists and followers of photography, including Joan Vehí, who hailed from Cadaqués and was one of his first clients.

His first meeting with Dalí was quite a different matter. At Dalí’s invitation, Meli, who had been determined to meet and work with the painter, made his way to Cadaqués and knocked on the door of Dalí’s house in Portlligat. After a long wait, Dalí appeared in front of him wearing a type of brightly-coloured smock he called a “tapabruts” (literally “cover dirt” in Catalan) as it covered up the marks on the clothes underneath. This first meeting heralded the start of a strong collaboration and friendship, and, above all, a great rapport between both artists.

Meli’s archives contain images that provide proof of the direct connection between painting and photography. It is clear that the images that emerged from Meli’s camera became the starting point for famous works by Dalí. Meli also made portraits of the artist and his surroundings and captured hitherto unseen moments in his daily life. In short, the photographer documented an era, immortalised a town and left for posterity a pictorial chronicle of an instant.