Joan Tomás, Barcelona 1958, photographer and visual artist.

 

He became interested in photography at the age of 11. He has been a professional since he was 24 years old after studying photography in London. During his career, he has done documentary, advertising, and fashion photography, and since 1990 he has specialized in celebrity portraiture, working for magazines, record labels, and film production companies.

 

He took the iconic photographs of the films for the posters of “Lucía y el sexo” and “Mar adentro”. In 2012 La Fábrica published a selection of his portraits in the Photobolsillo collection of Spanish authors.

 

In 1982 he founded and directed Primer Plano photography gallery in Barcelona, specializing in reportage and documentary photography. In 2003 he was a founding member of the Documentary Photography Center of Barcelona (Lafotobcn).

 

Since 2004, he has been carrying out community art projects, particularly on migratory issues, later reflected in street art installations, in Spain, France and Okinawa in Japan. Lately he is developing a project that began in October 2019 in a residency in Okinawa-Japan, in the form of a book, exhibition and the photo-concert "*The Thin Place" together with the French singer and songwriter Fanel, creating all the visuals and the stage design. The premiere took place in Toulouse on April 14, 2021 and a tour is being prepared.

 

In 2019, the MNAC acquires 25 photographs that become part of its collection.

 

Joan Tomás is an eclectic photographer, both in style and subject matter, always looking for new ways to show and use photography, from magazines to books, using street art installations, lately also making collages and experimenting with visuals for the performing arts, In his latest project "The thin place" with the composer and singer Fanel, and in the research for the creation of a scenic project on climate change where social documentary is merged with flamenco, in collaboration with the "bailaora" and choreographer Aina Nuñez.

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