ABOUT
Álvaro Laiz (b.1981) is a Spanish photographer and artist whose work deals with narratives where traditional culture, nature and industrial development converge. Since 2014 he has committed himself to exploring the links between our distant past and our near future through a multidisciplinary study of hunter-gatherers populations, revealing the profound connection between natural world and ourselves.
The artistic practice and way of living resemble a kind of labyrinth: surprise is the invite to enter; once you are in, research, self-discovery, awareness, analysis and exploration, inform the development of the story; and when you get out the perception of that story is never be the same.
Labyrinth as a metaphor for self-awareness, change and evolution, either in inviting you to consume the story, or in subtly talking about personal experiences. In this journey of discovery and self-discovery the movement are always quiet and slow, allowing viewers to come into the scene and let things happen. This has aesthetically shaped the way of seeing.
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In 2017 he published his first book The Hunt (Dewi Lewis/RM, 2017), a reconstruction of a Moby-Dick-alike story of man against nature’s most fearsome and efficient predator in the Boreal Jungle: the siberian tiger. It was presented at Les Rencontres d'Arles 2017 and selected by the British Journal of Photography as Best of 2017.
Álvaro´s work has been recognized by a number of institutions including Magnum and Ideas Tap Foundation, Burn Photography, Visura, Photolucida or Center Santa Fe. He is also the recipient of the 2016 National Geographic Explorer´s Grant for his ongoing project “The Edge”. a journey following the steps of the paleo-siberian populations through the Bering Strait Bridge 20,000 years ago to become the first settlers in America.
His work, both photography and large scale video installation, resides in public and private collections such as Museo de América or Fundación INELCOM, curated by Vicente Todolí, and have been exhibited in museums and art fairs such as Musée d'Art Contemporain du Val-de-Marne (MAC/VAL) in Paris, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León (MUSAC). His editorial clients include National Geographic, New York Times, Traveller or Forbes among others.
AWARDS (selection)
6x6 Global Talent World Press Photo 2018
PDN´s 30 2018
National Geographic Explorer Program Grant, 2017
Winner Juror´s Choice Award Center, Santa Fe, 2016
Winner FotoVisura Grant for Outstanding Personal Project, 2015
Emerging Photographer Fund Finalist, 2015
Finalist Magnum-Ideas Tap Foundation Award, 2015
Honorary Mention Photographic Museum of Humanity, 2015
British Journal of Photography Ones to Watch, 2014
Gold Medal China International Photographic Art Exhibition, 2013
1st Prize Contemporary African Photography Award (POPCAP), 2013
2nd Prize Festival Internacional de Fotografía de México (FINI), 2013
Fórum Photographic Can Bastè Grant, 2012
1st Prize Revela International Photography Award, 2012
2nd Prize Pride International Photography Contest, 2012
COLLECTIONS (selection)
Banco Sabadel, Barcelona, Spain
INELCOM, Madrid, Spain
Fundación Cerezales Antonino y Cinia, León, Spain
Museo de América, Madrid, Spain
HEF Investment, Madrid, Spain
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
The Hunter, Galería Freijo (Madrid, Spain) 2016
Fósil, Museo de la Minería de Sabero (León, Spain) 2016
The Hunter, Fundación Cerezales Antonino y Cinia (FCYCAC) (León, Spain) 2015
Fosil, comissioned by MUSAC museum (León, Spain) 2015
Future Plans, Photon Festival (Valencia, Spain) 2015
Transmongolian, Cortona on the Move (Cortona, Italy) 2014
Wonderland, DOCFIELD, IlMondo Gallery (Barcelona, Spain) 2014
Wonderland, Fucares Gallery (Madrid. Spain) 2014
Future Plans, Fundación Can Basté (Barcelona, Spain) 2013
Transmongolian, PhotoEspaña´12 Galería Fúcares (Madrid, Spain) 2012
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (selection)
The Hunter, Cambio de Rumbo Tabacalera (Madrid) 2017
Future Plans, State Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg, Russia) 2016
Transmongolian, Athens Photo Festival (Athens, Greece) 2016
Wonderland / Transmongolian MAC/VAL Museum (Paris, France) 2015
Wonderland, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Castilla y León (MUSAC) (León. Spain) 2014
Future Plans Pondycherry Festival (Pondycherry, India) 2014
Transmongolian, Hungry Still, Format Gallery (Derby, United Kingdom) 2014
Future Plans, Athens Photo Festival (Athens, Greece) 2013
Future Plans, Delhi Photo Festival, India Habit Center (New Delhi, India) 2013
Future Plans, Festival Internacional del Foto de México (Mexico DF, Mexico) 2013
Future Plans, Vogele Kultur Centrum (Zúrich, Switzerland) 2013
Atlantes, Feria Internacional ARCO, Galería Fúcares (Madrid, Spain) 2013
Future Plans, POP CAP´13 (Basel, Switzerland) 2013
Future Plans, Lagos Photo Festival (Lagos, Nigeria) 2013
Pride Photo Award, the Old Church (Ámsterdam, Netherlands) 2012
Premio Internaciona de Fotografía Revela, Can Basté (Barcelona, Spain) 2012