COL·LECCIÓ FORVM. Sacsejar la història, transformar la fotografia

Exhibition curated by Marta Dahó Masdemont

The FORVM COLLECTION, created by David Balsells and Chantal Grande in 1981, emerged at a time of radical redefinition of photography as an artistic practice. In Catalonia, where, as in the rest of the State, it was not taken into account as a cultural fact, it was the authors themselves who promoted its legitimization in the face of the lack of infrastructure. In this sense, the creation of exhibition spaces, such as the Forvm Gallery in Tarragona, played a decisive role in supporting a generation of photographers who were beginning to work with a new creative freedom.

The FORVM COLLECTION was born from this Commitment and, in its guidelines, has incorporated exponents of contemporary photography developed from the seventies onwards, as well as previous productions, claiming their heritage value. In fact, if many of the works that make up it have acquired institutional recognition, it is also thanks to the immense work that both Balsells and Grande have carried out throughout their professional careers. Their complicity and dedication have given rise to a unique collection of infinite possibilities. Not only to delve into the national and international history of photography, but also to reflect on its scope in current culture.

In its first presentation as part of the National Photography Collection of Catalonia, this exhibition proposes to explore its richness through a transversal approach, in which the resonances and counterpoints between the works generate unforeseen dialogues. Through a selection that links diverse practices, chronologies and geographies, the show highlights the speculative nature of photography and the potential of images to open questions about the present, the past and the future.