Barcelona gallery reveals unseen photographs of gypsy communities

The Sala Escoleta de Palo Alto Barcelona is hosting an exhibition titled Món Gitano 1962-1963, which features 37 previously unseen analog photographs by Isabel Steva Hernández, known as Colita.

The collection documents the early professional work of the Spanish photographer as she engaged with the Roma communities in Barcelona. The exhibition includes images that Colita developed in her own laboratory. These photos originated from a 1962 commission from her mentor, Paco Rebés.

At age 22, Colita was tasked with photographing extras for the film Los Tarantos, directed by Francesc Rovira Beleta. To complete the assignment, she visited the Somorrostro shantytowns and the hills of Montjuïc. Colita chose to focus on the daily vitality and joy of the neighbors rather than their poverty. The collection includes three portraits of the dancer Carmen Amaya, who returned from Mexico in 1963.

The images also capture then-rising cultural figures like Antonio Gades, La Singla, and José Menese. Beyond the artistic value, the works serve as a sociological record of urban spaces in Barcelona that no longer exist due to city planning. The exhibition is part of the FotoFest Poblenou and is curated by Francesc Polop.

It provides a look at the beginning of Colita's career before she became a prominent figure in Spanish photography, known for documenting historical movements and famous artists like Salvador Dalí and Gabriel García Márquez.