Laia Abril
Laia Abril (born 1986 in Barcelona, Spain) is a photographer and multiplatform storyteller who makes work related to femininity. Her book, The Epilogue, was well received.[1][2][3][4]
Life and work
Abril gained a degree in journalism in Barcelona. She moved to New York to study photography at the International Center of Photography. In 2009 she enrolled at Fabrica research centre, the artist residency of Benetton in Italy, where she worked as a staff photographer and consultant photo editor at Colors magazine for four years.
Since 2010 Abril has been working on a project exploring the subject of eating disorders,[5] resulting in A Bad Day, a short film about a young girl struggling with bulimia; Thinspiration, which explores the use of photography in pro-ana websites; and The Epilogue, documenting the indirect victims of eating disorders, through the story of the Robinson family and the aftermath of the death of Cammy Robinson to bulimia. Critic Sean O'Hagan, writing in The Guardian, said of The Epilogue that "It is a sombre and affecting photobook ... dense and rewarding ... At times, it makes for a painful read. From time to time, I had to put it down, take a breather. But I kept going back."[2] The Epilogue was shortlisted for the First PhotoBook category of the Paris Photo–Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards in 2014.[6]
Her other projects include Femme Love, on a young lesbian community in Brooklyn; Last Cabaret on a sex club in Barcelona; and the Asexuals Project, a documentary film about asexuality.
Publications
Publications by Abril
- Thinspiration. Self-published zine, 2012.
- The Epilogue. Stockport: Dewi Lewis, 2014. ISBN 978-1907893544. Designed in collaboration with art director Ramon Pez.
- Tediousphilia. Lausanne: Musée de l'Élysée, 2014. ISBN 978-2883501058. In collaboration with art director Ramon Pez.
- Lobismuller. Mexico City; Barcelona: Editorial RM, 2016. ISBN 978-8416282647. With a text by Abril.
- Laia Abril. PHotoBolsillo. Madrid: La Fabrica,[n 1] 2016. ISBN 978-8416248605. Spanish.
Publications with others
- Diccionario de Fotógrafos Españoles. Madrid: La Fabrica, 2014.
- From Here On. Madrid: RM, 2013. Exhibition catalogue for From Here On, Centre d'Art Santa Mònica, Barcelona, curated by Joan Fontcuberta, Erik Kessels, Martin Parr, Joachim Schmid and Clément Chéroux.[n 2]
Group exhibitions or exhibitions during festivals (selected)
- From Here On, Centre d'Art Santa Mónica, February 2013. Curated by Joan Fontcuberta, Erik Kessels, Joachim Schmid and Martin Parr.
- On Identity, Gallery Sous Les Etoiles, New York, 10 September 2014 – 25 October 2014. With Jen Davis, Olya Ivanova, Lindsay Morris and Chris Rijksen.[7]
- Fotografia 2.0, PHotoEspaña, Madrid, June 2014. Curated by Joan Fontcuberta. With Diego Collado, Pablo Chacón, Manuel Fernández, Miguel Ángel García, Alejandro Guijarro, Albert Gusi, Juana Ghost, Roc Herms, Darius Koehli, Reinaldo Loureiro, Daniel Mayrit, Oscar Monzón, Noelia Pérez, Jordi Pou, Arturo Rodríguez, Txema Salvans, Miguel Ángel Tornero, Jon Uriarte and Fosi Vegue.[8]
- A History of Misogyny, Chapter One: On Abortion, Rencontres d'Arles, Arles, France, 2016.[9]
Public collections
- Fotomuseum Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.[10]
Notes
- ↑ Not to be confused with Fabrica research centre in Italy, where Abril was enrolled.
- ↑ The catalogue for From Here On is reproduced here (Issuu).
References
- ↑ Holland, Claire (13 October 2014). "The best photography books out now". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- 1 2 O'Hagan, Sean (26 August 2014). "'I don't know how to get better': Laia Abril shows the hell of eating disorders". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ↑ Cresswell, Joanna (1 October 2014). "The Epilogue: Laia Abril". The Photographers' Gallery. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ Colberg, Jörg (8 September 2014). "Laia Abril – The Epilogue". Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ Segal Hamilton, Rachel (13 September 2014). "Laia Abril's Thinspiration Photos Are Unbearable". Vice (magazine). Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ "First Photobook Shortlist: The Epilogue". Paris Photo. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ↑ "On Identity". Gallery Sous Les Etoiles. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ "Clase Magistral con Joan Fontcuberta". Gallery Sous Les Etoiles. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ O'Hagan, Sean (12 July 2016). "Les Rencontres d'Arles 2016 review – twin towers and sub-Saharan slums". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ↑ "Collection". Fotomuseum Winterthur. Retrieved 14 November 2014.