Isabel Azkarate

Instituto Cervantes invites you to the exhibition of Isabel Azkarate, considered the first female photojournalist from the Basque Country, curated by Silvia Omedes.

In her work as a photojournalist, Azkarate documented—truly exceptionally—the most violent and painful period of terrorism in the Basque Country. Without prejudice or political bias, her approach reveals emotions of pain and anger that help us connect with the people portrayed, a perspective she maintained throughout every stage of her professional career. This was also evident when she photographed the victims of the Shining Path attacks in Ayacucho, Peru.

Isabel Azkarate was the only female photographer—among many men—covering the Basque Country during the 1980s, a time marked not only by ETA and GAL attacks but also by the dismantling of the industrial fabric, intense social conflicts, general strikes, and the devastating impact of drugs on youth. At the same time, a vibrant countercultural movement emerged, celebrating identity and freedom of expression.

Azkarate’s photographic archive also captures vastly different ways of life, represented by countless unique individuals she portrayed in parks, circuses, and LGBTQ+ celebrations in early 1980s New York, as well as in farmhouses and rural paths of the Basque Country.

Additionally, as the official photographer of the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Azkarate conducted the last photo session of Bette Davis, just days before the iconic Hollywood diva passed away. A passionate lover of culture, Azkarate has also photographed numerous musicians, filmmakers, writers, painters, and sculptors, as well as the public’s reactions to the world of art.