Exhibition Overview
The Centro Cultural de España en México (CCEMx) has inaugurated an exhibition titled “Icono, nación y ciudadanía. Fotografía española y portuguesa en la Colección Foto Colectania.” This exhibition showcases over 140 representative images from one of the most significant private collections of Spanish and Portuguese photography internationally, featuring 36 artists.
Curatorial Approach
Commissioned by art critic and researcher Carles Guerra, the exhibition is structured into 22 thematic sequences across eight blocks. It establishes a dialogue between iconic images and image series, expanding and enrichening the viewer’s understanding of events through visual combinations and contrasts.
Exhibition Sponsors
The exhibition’s arrival in Mexico is made possible by the patronage of entrepreneur Manuel Arango, along with support from Banco Sabadell and Grupo Bimbo. It is part of an itinerant project that began in Barcelona in 2024 under the title “El curso de los acontecimientos” and later displayed in Miami at The Margulies Collection at The Warehouse, named “Beyond the Single Image.”
Historical Context and Artists
The exhibition spans 75 years of Spanish and Portuguese photography from the 1950s, featuring renowned figures like Xavier Miserachs associated with “la fotografía de calle” and contemporary artists such as Laia Abril. Notable photographers include Ramon Masats, Francisco Gomez, Joan Colom, Leopoldo Pomés, and Xavier Miserachs from the 1960s generation, along with newer generations like Laia Abril, Cristina de Middel, and Xavier Ribas.
Exhibition’s Message
According to curator Carles Guerra, “Icono, nación y ciudadanía” reveals how photography has contributed to constructing national imagery and exercising citizenship. He explains, “We move from being mere spectators to citizens. The concept of nation is not administrative but speaks of the nation of photography, inviting us to discover the potential when we engage with images.”
Exhibition Timeline and Activities
The exhibition will be open to the public from July 19 to October 12, 2025, at the Centro Cultural de España en México. In parallel, a dialogue and learning program will take place from July to October, coordinated by curator and cultural manager Johan Trujillo Argüelles, creating a feedback space between the exhibition and Mexican photographic context.
About Foto Colectania
- Foto Colectania is a non-profit organization based in Barcelona, Spain, established in 2002 to promote and disseminate photography socially, artistically, and educationally.
- It is a prestigious international photography center hosting exhibitions, activities, and projects related to photography.
- The collection comprises 3,000 photographs by over 80 Spanish and Portuguese artists, displayed at their headquarters and through an extensive itinerant exhibition program. It also includes the Paco Gómez Archive, containing 1,000 photographs and 24,000 negatives, making it one of the most important private photography collections of the Iberian Peninsula worldwide.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the exhibition about? The exhibition, “Icono, nación y ciudadanía. Fotografía española en la Colección Foto Colectania,” displays over 140 images from a significant private collection of Spanish and Portuguese photography, spanning 75 years.
- Who curated the exhibition? The exhibition was curated by Carles Guerra, an art critic and researcher.
- What is the exhibition’s main theme? The exhibition explores how photography has contributed to constructing national imagery and exercising citizenship.
- When and where can the exhibition be viewed? The exhibition is open from July 19 to October 12, 2025, at the Centro Cultural de España en México.
- What is Foto Colectania? Foto Colectania is a non-profit organization in Barcelona, Spain, dedicated to promoting and disseminating photography socially, artistically, and educationally. It holds a collection of 3,000 photographs by more than 80 Spanish and Portuguese artists and the Paco Gómez Archive.
