Photobooks. Spain 1905-1977

Background information

"'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1997' is a study of photobooks published in Spain in the 20th century. Horacio FERNÁNDEZ is also the author of 'Fotografía pública' (1999) and 'The Latin American Photobook' (2011).
he photobook form allows a narrative approach that emerges from the images; therefore, this form has been used by many of the most outstanding photographers to present and communicate their works. In Spain, the photobook is characterized above all by a complex national history: Civil War, transition to democracy, the social and cultural role of the peasantry, and the evolving role of women have been clearly documented in the photobook. The relationship of Spanish culture and photography to the photobook itself is also comprehensively explored in this volume, published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

Content

'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1997' documents in particular detail thirty photo volumes, illustrated by numerous photographs; in addition, the introductory text informs an overview of several hundred other titles. 'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1997' represents a new, surprising chapter in the new history of photography written in recent years by the rediscovery of the photobook.
One of the topics covered in photobooks is propaganda photography, particularly in the photobooks produced on both sides during the Spanish Civil War. Of particular interest are some of those books published toward the end of the Franco era in the 1970s.
Another focus in 'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1997' is literary works accompanied by photographic series, of which there are examples from the first half of the century, although the most important works of this kind were published in the 1960s as part of the Palabra e Imagen collection.
Last but not least, some of the photographic volumes examined in 'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1997' reflect the social changes that occurred in 20th century Spain, including topics such as traditional occupations, métiers and rituals, the role of women, and relations between rural and urban Spain. (...)
In the volume 'Photobooks. Spain 1905-1977' by Horacio Fernández (ed.) covers not only well-known Spanish photographers, such as José Ortiz ECHAGÜE, ALFONSO, Francesco CATALÀ-ROCA, Ramón MASATS, Xavier MISERACHS, Francisco ONTAÑÓN and COLITA, but also relatively unknown individuals such as the collective Antonio CÁNOVAS, José COMPTE, Enrique PALAZUELO, Luis ACOSTA MORO and Salvador COSTA.
The text by Horacio Fernández explains the cultural significance of the works of these artists and deepens the complex relationship between Spanish photobooks and literature." (free translation of publisher's text, © RM, 2014)

Book Reviews

• "What attracted us to 'Photobooks: Spain 1905-1977' is that it presents a photobook field largely unknown to even the most sophisticated experts in the field. (...) Chronologically and exhaustively introduced, it contextualizes and dissects publications ranging from an illustrated popular poem to street photography to chirpy 1930s fascist propaganda, which the photo spreads make very clear. The wealth of information contained here is immensely important." (© Anne Wilkes Tucker)
  "This is the platform from which new, more stories will come." ( © Lesley A. MARTIN)

About the photographs published in the volume 'Photobooks. Spain 1905-1977' with their works represented photographers.

• José Ortiz ECHAGÜE, ALFONSO, Francesco CATALÀ-ROCA, Ramón MASATS, Xavier MISERACHS, Francisco ONTAÑÓN, COLITA, Antonio CÁNOVAS, José COMPTE, Enrique PALAZUELO, Luis ACOSTA MORO and Salvador COSTA.

Photobooks of the photographs published in the volume 'Photobooks. Spain 1905-1977' with the works of the following photographers

• ECHAGÜE, José Ortiz
  ALFONSO
  CATALÀ-ROCA, Francesco
  MASATS, Ramón
  MISERACHS, Xavier
  ONTAÑÓN, Francisco
  COLITA
  CÁNOVAS, Antonio
  COMPTE, José
  PALAZUELO, Enrique
  ACOSTA MORO, Luis
  COSTA, Salvador