Álvaro Laiz (b.1981) is a multidisciplinary artist working with photography, text, video and sound. His research-based work deals with narratives where traditional culture, nature and technology converge.
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"For Álvaro, the artistic practice and way of living resemble a kind of labyrinth. The concept of the unknown and the element of surprise of what awaits you is the invitation to enter. Once you are inside, research, self-discovery, awareness, analysis and exploration, all feed into the development of the story; and when you get out of the labyrinth, the perception of that story is never the same.The Labyrinth is a metaphor for self-awareness, change and evolution, either by inviting you to consume the story or by subtly addressing personal experiences. In this journey of discovery and self-discovery, the movement is always quiet and slow, allowing viewers to come into the scene and let things happen. A labyrinth can aesthetically shape the way of seeing." ____ 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 and funded by a number of institutions including Sony World Photography Awards, World Press Photo or Magnum Foundation. Since 2020 he is a National Geographic Fellow. 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.
National Geographic Storytelling Fellow 2020 2nd Place Environmental Category Sony World Photography Award 2020 Public Engagement with Research Grant. Oxford University, 2019 1st Place Portraiture Category Sony World Photography Award 2019 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, 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)
Museo Universidad de Navarra , Spain 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