The publisher Blume releases "No será fácil", the biography of Joana Biarnés written by Jordi Rovira. The book reviews the life of the pioneer of photojournalism in Spain, originally from Terrassa.
The history of Spanish photojournalism has a chapter written with its own light, and that chapter bears the name of Joana Biarnés. Born in Terrassa in 1935, she was one of the first women to practice graphic reporting in the country. Now, the publisher Blume has published her complete biography in Spanish, titled "No será fácil", written by journalist Jordi Rovira. The book, which had already appeared in Catalan, delves into the life and work of this exceptional photographer.
The title is not coincidental: Biarnés had to carve her path in a profession dominated by men, and she did so with a camera slung over her shoulder and unwavering determination. Her first published report dates back to 6 February 1953, in the newspaper Mundo Deportivo. The young woman from Terrassa had photographed the discovery of a cave, and her father, impressed by the quality of the images, managed to get them published. That beginning, 58 meters underground, was the starting gun for a legendary career.
From Terrassa to the world's great stages
Biarnés did not limit herself to a single genre. She photographed bulls, fashion, portraits, and above all, historical moments. One of her most remembered snapshots is of Orson Welles and Ava Gardner as spectators in a bullring, captured from the barrier. But she also knew how to be present during the toughest moments, such as the floods that struck the Vallès in 1962, which left numerous victims in Terrassa and its surroundings.
In 1965, Biarnés achieved one of her greatest milestones: gaining access to The Beatles' suite at the Avenida Palace hotel in Barcelona. The Fab Four were in Spain for their only concerts in the country, and the photographer from Terrassa secured an exclusive by capturing them in a relaxed atmosphere. However, the newspaper Pueblo, where she collaborated, decided not to publish the images on the orders of the Franco regime, which believed that publicity should not be given to those long-haired Britons.
Dalí, Jackie Kennedy, and other icons
The list of personalities who passed before Biarnés' lens is endless. Salvador Dalí allowed her into his workshop-house in Port Lligat, where the photographer captured the surrealist genius in his natural habitat. Dalí, always jealous of his image, trusted her completely. She also photographed Jackie Kennedy during her visit to Seville, alongside the Prince and Princess of Monaco, Rainier and Grace Kelly, in an atmosphere of tension between the two women.
Biarnés was at Lola Flores' house when Audrey Hepburn and Yul Brynner arrived, and she photographed Sammy Davis Jr. posing as a bullfighter at Palomo Linares' estate. She also accompanied Massiel to Paris to try on the dress with which she would win Eurovision in 1968, and witnessed encounters between dance legends like Rudolf Nureyev and Antonio el Bailarín. She was always there, and she always earned the trust of her subjects.
A late but deserved recognition
After years of silence, Joana Biarnés received the recognition she deserved. She passed away in 2018, but her legacy lives on. The biography by Jordi Rovira not only reviews her life but also includes a selection of her best works, offering a portrait of a fascinating era for journalism in Spain, despite the challenges posed by a lack of freedom of expression.
For readers in the province of Barcelona, Biarnés' figure is particularly close. Terrassa, her hometown, remembers her as a pioneer who put the name of Vallès on the map of international photojournalism. The book "No será fácil" is now available in bookstores, and it is an opportunity to discover a woman who, with her camera, challenged conventions and left an indelible testimony of history.
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