PhotoEspaña's 10th Edition Lacks Cohesion Despite Strong Shows

The 10th edition of PhotoEspaña, held from May 30 to July 22, 2007 across Madrid and Cuenca, Spain, was criticized for lacking a unifying vision due to the absence of a single artistic director. While individual exhibitions maintained quality, the festival felt disjointed. Monographic shows included Sebastião Salgado's Africa, Raymond Depardon's political portraits, a condensed Andres Serrano overview, Bruce Davidson's Central Park, and a Man Ray retrospective mixing highlights with lesser works. Zhang Huan's politically charged pieces and Sylvia Plachy's retrospective disappointed. Thomas Struth's museum series at the Prado extension was a highlight. Three group exhibitions stood out: "Neorealism: The New Image in Italy, 1932-1960" curated by Enrica Vigano with 75 photographers and over 250 images, arguing neorealism began under Mussolini; "Ordinary Citizens, Victims of Stalin" featuring identity portraits from Soviet secret police archives; and "Local, or the End of Globalization" exploring community and urbanization through diverse photographic styles.