Unseen Images from a Photographic Pioneer

Barcelona’s Palo Alto venue is hosting an unprecedented exhibition of the first professional work by Isabel Steva Hernández, known as Colita, one of Catalonia’s most influential 20th-century photographers. Titled Món Gitano 1962–1963, the show presents 37 previously unexhibited analogue photographs taken when Colita was just 22 years old, capturing the daily life, dance, and song of Roma communities in the Somorrostro and Montjuïc shantytowns. The images were commissioned by her mentor Paco Rebés to document extras in the filming of Los Tarantos (1963), the classic flamenco film directed by Francesc Rovira Beleta and starring Carmen Amaya and Antonio Gades. Colita immersed herself in the communities, producing intimate, empathetic portraits that reveal joy and resilience despite the difficult living conditions.

Legacy of Empathy and Artistic Discovery

The exhibition includes three unpublished darkroom prints of the legendary bailaora Carmen Amaya, made by Colita herself and never before displayed together in Catalonia. Francesc Polop, heir and director of the Colita Photography Archive and curator of the exhibition, highlights the humanity in her work and notes that these photographs capture early appearances of figures who would become flamenco icons, including La Singla, Antonio Gades, and cantaor José Menese.

The photos contain the humanity and empathy for human beings that the author possessed

This commission marked the beginning of Colita’s professional career and ignited her lifelong passions for cinema and flamenco, themes that would recur throughout her artistic journey.

Part of Poblenou Fotofest 2026

The exhibition runs until Sunday 29th November 2026 at Palo Alto, located in the Poblenou district, and is part of the fourth edition of FotoFest Poblenou. The festival features 22 exhibitions across 13 venues, celebrating photography in one of Barcelona’s most dynamic neighbourhoods. Admission to Món Gitano 1962–1963 is free. Complementary events include talks by photojournalist Emilio Morenatti on Wednesday 18th November and photographer Tino Soriano on Tuesday 24th November. More details and opening hours for all venues are available on the Barcelona Cultura website. Visitors can view artist’s prints that Colita developed in her darkroom, preserved and specially framed for this exhibition, offering a rare glimpse into the formative moment of a photographic legend.

Sources: betevé, Ajuntament de Barcelona, larazon.es, paloalto.barcelona.