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The Community of Madrid’s Canal de Isabel II Exhibition Hall is hosting an exhibition from 28 February to 12 July in which the photographs from all the photo stories by the photographer Joana Biarnés, taken mainly in Madrid between 1962 and 1972, will be on display.  Photographs related to the evolution of society and fashion in a period full of changes can be seen.

Curated by Josep Casamartina, art historian specialised in reviews and curating projects, the exhibition will display photographs that represent Spanish streets, the neighbourhoods and citizens during this period, which are the features of the exhibition.

Joana Biarnés’ relationship with fashion began in her native Barcelona and was consolidated in Madrid.  She was the first woman to pursue photojournalism in Spain and she also became the pioneer of fashion photography.

The exhibition includes more than a hundred photographs that show the evolution of fashion and society in a time of far-reaching changes, such as the 1960s and early 1970s.  It also represents a panoramic view of the Spanish city, with its streets, neighbourhoods and inhabitants, something that would be a constant throughout Joana Biarnés’ career as a photographer.

Biarnés treated fashion with the same proximity and sincerity with which she addressed the rest of the topics she documented, and this is one of her main contributions.  In the field of fashion photography, the artist often placed the models on the street, showing them naturally and without the need for extravagant settings. She captured the essence of her time uniquely in each image.

Image Credits:

• © Joana Biarnés. Lourdes Albert and other models on the Gran Via. Madrid, October 1967
• © Joana Biarnés. Models with fashionable shorts. Editorial shot on the outskirts of Madrid. 1971