A photobook is a publication consisting of photographs set out as groups of images, with complex plots and meanings. It is the medium chosen by some leading photographers to produce their greatest work, proving highly effective for the presentation, communication and reading of photographs. Photobooks are increasingly seen as the ideal way of presenting photographic collections.
Ever since the birth of the medium, production of photobooks in Spain has been prolific, yet the subject remains practically unstudied. Considerable research has therefore been required to catalogue and study these volumes, and to build up a reference collection. This exhibition surveys the first results of that in-depth research, covering not only familiar names such as Ortiz Echagüe, Alfonso, Català-Roca, Masats and Miserachs, but also numerous other leading photographers whose superb photo series – though widely published in their day – have since been largely overlooked: examples include Antonio Cánovas, the Misiones Pedagógicas group, and José Compte.
The history of photobooks in Spain was shaped by key historical events, such as the Civil War and the transition to democracy, which provided the subject matter for some of the finest productions. Other major themes in Spanish photobooks include: the changing social role and the changing view both of the rural population and, especially, of women; the link between literature and photography; and subjects that touch more closely on international history, such as those addressing urban development. A catalogue raisonnée has been produced for the exhibition, jointly published by the Museo Reina Sofía, AC/E and RM.
