Nicolás de Lekuona and photomontage during the interwar period

Lecture in Spanish Draughtsman, painter, designer and photographer Nicolás de Lekuona’s restless nature meant his work was to become one of the leading referents of the Spanish avant-garde movement. His photography was influenced by German Expressionist films, with their sharp contrasts of light and shade, and by Surrealism. The latter was particularly apparent in his photomontages, in which women, sport, death and war were the basis for scenes that showed the great talent of this artist, whose career was cut short by his premature death at the age of 24.

De Leukona’s photographic work is the subject of Juan Naranjo’s lecture at MPM. Naranjo is an art historian and independent curator whose lines of research focus on the different uses and functions of photography and its history. He edited the book Fotografía antropología y colonialismo, 1845-2006/Photography, Anthropology and Colonialism, 1845-2006, (Gustavo Gili, Barcelona, 2006), and has curated exhibitions that include La fotografía en España en el siglo XIX (Photography in Spain in the 19th Century) at Caixa Forum, Barcelona in 2003; Joaquim Gomis, at the Joan Miró Foundation, Barcelona, in 2002; Pere Català Pic, fotografía, fotomontaje y publicidad, 1929-1939 (Pere Català Pic, Photography, Photomontage and Publicity, 1929-1939) at Museo de Huesca in 2001; and Las vanguardias fotográficas en España 1925-1945 (Spanish Avant-garde Photography, 1925-1945) at Centre Cultural Fundació La Caixa in 1997.

Organized with Universidad de Málaga, this lecture was part of the programme of activities related to the exhibition On the Human Being. International Photography 1900-1950.