“In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.” – Federico Garcia Lorca
The history of Spanish photography is of course closely tied to the political discourses of the early 20th century. Photojournalism in Spain served as an objective transcription of the realities of conflict as well as influencing public opinion overseas. Though constrained by censorship, a new generation of photographers pushed the boundaries of conventional photographic storytelling with an activist stance and vitality.
1. José Suárez – Ibiza, 1960
José Suárez was a Galician photographer with an enigmatic character, known by family and friends to never be without his camera. With a reflexive and deeply personal vision governed by a rich cultural knowledge, Suárez’s photos of the Galician region are some of the most well-informed and intuitive photographs of Spain. Imbibing his images with symbolic meanings, each element is present to create a rich tapestry of subtle metaphors aimed at magnifying the people whom he chose to photograph.
2. Evelyn Hofer – Proprietor of the ‘Caracoles’ Restaurant, Barcelona, 1963
Few photographers in history have captured the essence of their subjects quite like Evelyn Hofer, the enigmatic German-born photographer who dedicated her life to photographing people and places across the globe.
Having briefly lived in Spain as a child, Hofer returned as an adult to photograph images for the book “The Presence of Spain,” authored by Jan Morris (then James). The pair – who collaborated on numerous projects throughout their careers – sought to capture the spirit of this fascinating land, still tightly gripped by Franco’s dictatorship. Typically sensitive, perceptive, and compelling, Hofer’s imagery often evokes a somberness and a sense of isolation that mirrored the country’s position among its neighbors, heightened by her use of a black and white palette (despite her later renown for color work). Yet, amidst this, she also occasionally found more joyful moments, such as this restaurateur enjoying his lunch on a narrow street in the Catalan capital.
3. Virxilio Vieitez – Fermín, Avelino, Bautista y Pepiño en Soutelo de Montes, 1957
Virxilio Vietez’s work is characterised by a modest lack of sociological pretensions, but nonetheless an innate understanding of his fellow humans within Spanish society. An autodidact who produced photographs fervently in his native region of Terra de Montes, Galicia, from 1957 until his retirement in 1980, Vieitez’s work was not discovered until the 90’s. His portraits are simple and well composed with bare, frontal framing and rigid poses but their existence outside of the studio break the conventions of formal portraits of his day. His work largely features the working classes in their daily lives.
4. Guille Ibanez – “Castells” Catalonia
This striking image by Guille Ibanez depicts a collapsed castell, a human tower built at festivals in Catalonia, Spain. This tradition, recognized by UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, sees multiple ‘Colles Castelleres’ (teams that erect these towers) aim to construct and then disassemble these intricate structures. Ibanez’s image vividly captures the chaos as the vibrantly clad participants descend into a mosaic of flailing limbs.
5. Marina Ginestà on the roof of the Hotel Colón, Barcelona, July 1936 – Juan Guzmán
One of the most iconic images from the Spanish Civil War, this portrait of 17-year-old Marina Ginestà was captured on the rooftop of Barcelona’s Hotel Colón, which served as the headquarters of the communist-affiliated United Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSUC). The photographer, Hans Guttmann, was a young Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany who published his work under the Spanish pseudonym Juan Guzmán. The photograph stands as a striking symbol of resistance against Franco and his allies and followers, and decades later, gained worldwide recognition as a symbol of beauty and youth standing against the dark forces of fascism. However, it also highlights the propagandistic power of photography, especially during times of conflict for Ginestà was not a soldier but a journalist, who claims that the image was staged, as it was the first time she had held a gun. Nevertheless, this revelation does not diminish the bravery and principles of the young French-born activist and all those who resisted the brutality of Franco’s regime.
6. Ruth Matilda Anderson – Neno de Lalín con coroza, 1926
In the 1920’s, Ruth Matilda Anderson undertook an assignment to document Spanish culture for The Hispanic Society of America, working for a decade to record everything from ritualistic customs to domestic chores. For over a decade she travelled from Galicia to Asturias, from Leon to Andalusia and further, producing 10,000 images of Spanish people and landscapes in one of the most comprehensive and important anthropological studies of Spain to date.
7. On top of Serra da Capelada”, Galicia, Spain © Alexandre Caetano
While Spain often conjures images of sun-soaked beaches and picturesque white-washed towns, the far north of the country presents a striking contrast to its more popular southern coastal areas. Nowhere is this contrast more evident than in Galicia, where dramatic peaks rise up from windswept coastlines, creating rugged, verdant, and dramatic landscapes. Portuguese photographer Alexandre Caetano captures the wild beauty of this mountain pass, situated 600 meters above sea level, in striking black and white hues, creating a wonderful composition that encapsulates the essence of this unique region.
8. Owen Harvey – Untitled, from the series ‘The Matador’, 2023
This striking image of a young matador framed by two of his colleagues is part of a series by London-based photographer Owen Harvey exploring Spain’s bullfighting culture. Bullfighting, with its millennium-long history in the country, has seen a dramatic decline in popularity in recent years with several Spanish regions banning the practice, and more likely to follow suit.
Harvey’s powerful imagery invites viewers to explore this controversial world challenging viewers to confront their beliefs and engage in conversations about tradition, ethics, and the complexities of cultural heritage.
9. Gerda Taro – Woman training for Spanish militia, 1936
Taro, whose name has faded into obscurity, was undoubtedly the most pioneering female photojournalist of her time, photographing the Spanish Civil War alongside her artistic partner and lover, Robert Capa. Yet her life was cut short when her car was hit by a military tank as it rode into combat. However, her promising body of work shows a talent far beyond her years, and courage and audacity not often outwardly remembered amongst women at the time.
Her striking but little-known photos provide a record of an important moment in the history of war photography as well as symbolizing the changing possibilities from women in the 1930’s. Her photographs of female militia members in Barcelona and Valencia are a testament to the rewriting of history and forgotten women of war.
10. Leon Foggitt – “Boy on Pilgrimage” Andalusia,
Taken from the photographer’s personal project in Andalusia, Spain, depicting some of the 6,000 pilgrims who journey on horseback across dusty plains and wooded paths to a small town where they worship its eponym, the Virgin of El Rocio (a beautiful statue housed inside the town’s church). Foggitt joined them on their pilgrimage, captivated by the exquisite outfits and the elegance of the riders on horseback, exemplified in this stunning portrait, which stands as a powerful symbol of the enduring religious devotion that thrives in the region.
All images © their respective owners