Miami, Dec 3 (EFE).- The Foto Colectania Foundation of Barcelona unveiled a photography exhibition on Tuesday at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair, featuring 150 works by 36 photographers. The collection offers a compelling lens into the evolution and transformation of Southern European societies.
The exhibition will remain on display until April 26, 2025, at The Margulies Collection at The Warehouse, marking the first time this institution has hosted a guest collection. Organized into 20 thematic sequences across 10 sections, the exhibition reflects the modernization process that began in the 1950s, both socially and within the photographic medium.
Focusing on the Americas
Mario Rotllant, founder and president of the Foto Colectania Foundation, recalled in an interview with Agencia EFE that he began collecting photography 25 years ago with “an entirely public vocation.” He emphasized that this exhibition is a significant step toward internationally promoting Spanish photography, with the ultimate goal of establishing a traveling program throughout the Americas.
The exhibition, titled Beyond the Single Image: Spanish Photography from the Foto Colectania Collection, is curated by Carles Guerra, who explained that the journey revisits three generations of Spanish and Portuguese photography.
Based on a prior exhibition at Foto Colectania’s Barcelona headquarters, The Course of Events, this Miami presentation features works by notable authors such as Laia Abril, Cristina de Middel, and Txema Salvans, alongside prominent figures like Pilar Aymerich, Joan Fontcuberta, Manel Armengol, Cristina García Rodero, Manolo Laguillo, Alberto García-Alix, Leopoldo Pomés, Xavier Miserachs, Ramón Masats, and Francisco Gómez.
Art Basel Miami as a Platform for Spanish Photography
Carles Guerra highlighted that presenting the exhibition in Miami demonstrates how local stories can take on broader perspectives. He described it as “translating a very authentic narrative and making it accessible to other audiences.”
Photographer Pilar Aymerich described the exhibition as “a whole spectrum of images that give you a vision of the country.” She stressed its role in documenting Spain’s transition after Franco’s death in 1975. Her work captures protests demanding legal reforms and the emergence of 1970s feminist movements.
She praised the decision to expand the exhibition’s reach beyond Spain, highlighting its ability to educate audiences about the country’s history and perspectives.
“Sometimes the most important thing is for different peoples to get to know each other because that’s when we can accept the other. If we don’t know each other, it’s always the opposite—there’s always fear of the other,” Aymerich said.
Perspectives from the Artists
Joan Fontcuberta, another artist in the exhibition, says Foto Colectania’s presence at the fair is an opportunity for Spanish photography to gain global recognition. “Unfortunately, it’s still very little known beyond our borders,” he noted.
Fontcuberta described photography as “a form of visual thought” that transcends generations. He praised the collection for its breadth, encompassing photojournalism, conceptual photography, and more creative, analytical, and poetic styles. “It’s a melting pot, a mosaic of contemporary creation,” EFE
Foto Colectania collaborated with EFE to disseminate this content.
