Galería Blanca Berlín (C/ Limón 28, Madrid) will present “Instantes de Luz: 12 Premios Nacionales de Fotografía” from 23 May 2026 to 17 October 2026. The exhibition celebrates the work of 12 Spanish National Photography Award (Premio Nacional de Fotografía) winners, offering a panorama of how each artist has shaped—through distinct styles, sensibilities, and approaches—the cultural heritage of photography in Spain.
The exhibition opening will take place on 23.05.2026 from 12:00, with the presence of several artists and heirs.
According to the gallery’s press note, the National Photography Awards represent the highest recognition given in Spain to a photographer for their contribution to enriching the country’s cultural heritage. The show brings together a range of visual languages, from documentary approaches to experimental and highly technical practices.
The exhibition features the following 12 National Award winners:
- Carlos Pérez Siquier — recognized for a spirit of innovation.
- Castro Prieto (José Manuel Castro Prieto) — highlighted for mastery in selective defocus, within a documentary context.
- Cristina García Rodero — praised for her lucid dexterity capturing popular celebrations and traditions, with an artistic and ethnographic value.
- Cristóbal Hara — noted for bringing renewal to the genre.
- Eugeni Forcano — presented for a penetrating, sensitive, and passionate viewpoint.
- Gabriel Cualladò — celebrated for deep humanity in his work.
- Isabel Muñoz — described as exploring the fragmentation of the image using platinotipia (platinum printing) with a sensual and mystical character.
- Joan Colom — focused on a personal perspective of the Raval, using the street as a “notarial” reflection of an era.
- Ouka Leele — associated with reflection and questioning through color contributions to the image.
- Rafael Sanz Lobato — characterized by autodidactic skill expressed through silver gelatin prints (“gelatinas de plata”).
- Ramón Masats — recognized as a reference for an intuitive photographic language with few artifices.
- Toni Catany — presented for work using calotype to photograph landscapes, still lifes, and portraits.
The curatorial message frames the exhibition as a journey through the history of Spanish photography—made possible, the press note adds, by the gallery’s commitment to elevating photographic art and developing photography collecting in Spain.
Among the specific photographic processes cited in the press material are:
- Platinotipia (platinum printing)
- Calotipo / calotype
- Gelatin silver prints (“gelatinas de plata”)
- Emphasis is also placed on visual strategies connected to focus and documentary practice (e.g., selective defocus).
Photo credits: Galería Blanca Berlín
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