The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya has purchased a batch of 40 images taken by the photojournalist between 1975 and 1980, documenting life in the city during the Transition.
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) has incorporated into its collection a set of 40 photographs by Pedro Madueño, taken in Santa Coloma de Gramenet between 1975 and 1980. According to the museum, the images hold significant historical and documentary value, filling a gap in the National Photography Collection while highlighting a lesser-known phase of the photojournalist's work.
Pedro Madueño (La Carlota, Córdoba, 1961) is a seasoned photojournalist known for his portraits of the cultural and political world. In his last professional stage, he was the deputy editor to the director of La Vanguardia. His work is part of collections such as those of the Museo Reina Sofía and the Fundació Vila Casas. However, the MNAC's acquisition focuses on a more unpublished facet: that of the young photographer who, at 16, began capturing the reality of the streets of Santa Coloma, where he arrived with his family from Andalusia.
The photographs, taken with a perspective that the MNAC describes as mature and committed, document key themes for the museum's discourse: the construction of cities, immigration and the integration of newcomers, leisure in the neighbourhoods, social mobilisations and community struggles, ecological awareness, and, transversally, the Spanish Transition.
“One of the most remarkable qualities of these images is their ability to move us even today. With a great economy of means and an honest gaze, the photographer creates scenes that, despite belonging to another era, directly engage us due to the relevance of the themes they address,” the MNAC states.
For the museum, the images reflect issues that are highly relevant today, such as urban inequalities, civic movements, and debates about identity and belonging, doing so with an emotional force that reinforces their value both as historical documents and as works of art.
The acquisition represents recognition of Madueño's work and simultaneously shines a light on the recent history of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, a city in the metropolitan area of Barcelona that underwent profound transformation during those years. The photographs portray its inhabitants, their neighbourhoods, and their struggles, offering a window into a key period of local and national history.
The residents of Santa Coloma de Gramenet will be able to recognise in these images spaces and moments from their own history. The MNAC anticipates that the collection will be accessible to the public in future exhibitions, although no specific date has been set yet. The incorporation of these 40 photographs strengthens the presence of documentary photography in the national collection and underscores the importance of preserving the visual memory of cities.
You may also like
