Isabel Steva Hernández, better known as Colita, is one of the most important Spanish photographers of the 20th century. With her camera she has immortalized the Barcelona of the 1960s and 1970s, the world of flamenco and the most important people, both artists and intellectuals, of this period in the history of Spain. A fervent defender of freedom and feminism, Colita collaborated in various publications of the time and was part of the famous Gauche Divine movement.
In 1962 she collaborated in Francesc Rovira-Beleta’s film ‘Los Tarantos’. During the filming she met the bailaora Carmen Amaya, known by the nickname of “La Capitana”, with whom she would form a deep friendship. Thanks to Amaya, Colita became passionate about flamenco, to the point that the young woman left Barcelona to move to Madrid where she would take the promotional photographs of two great representatives of this art: La Chunga and Antonio Gades. Colita then traveled to Andalusia, the birthplace of flamenco, always at the controls of her inseparable six hundred. From that trip would emerge the book ‘Lights and Shadows of Flamenco’, a legendary work in which Colita makes a magnificent photographic journey through the world of flamenco and gypsies, a world that fascinated her.
The exhibition will be on view until November 21.