Azkarate vs Azkarate. Isabel Azkarate (PHotoESPAÑA 2026)

The Serrería Belga Cultural Space will host an exhibition that forms part of the Official Section of the PHotoESPAÑA 2026 photography festival from 14 May to 28 June. In this exhibition, Isabel Azkarate places her photographic archive alongside new images taken using a state-of-the-art mobile device, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, joining the past and the present through her lens as a photojournalist.

The Azkarate vs Azkarate exhibition brings together the work of the photojournalist, Isabel Azkarate (San Sebastian, 1950), considered to be the first Basque female photojournalist, in a dialogue between her historical archive and her most recent work. A journey through a career spanning more than 40 years that reflects the coherence of an outlook marked by curiosity and human observation.

Having studied documentary photography in Barcelona, it was in New York that she consolidated her style as a street photographer in the 1980s, inspired by the North American school and key figures such as Lisette Model.  In this context, Azkarate developed her own voice focused on the street, the spontaneous portrait, focusing on marginalised communities and individuals.

Her work, closely linked to street photography, has been compared with references like Diane Arbus due to her interest in portraying daily life and unique images naturally and with empathy Throughout her career, she has constantly been present in the street, capturing scenes from daily life with a direct and unpretentious outlook.

The exhibition is the result of a challenge proposed by Xiaomi, inviting the photographer to present her historic archive alongside new images taken with a Xiaomi 17 Ultra smartphone. The result is a dialogue between past and present which highlights the continuity of her method and the lasting relevance of her photographic vision.

Image Credits:

• Isabel Azkarate (San Sebastian, 1950) © Isabel Azkarate