Bio

Adriana Lestido was born in Buenos Aires in 1955.

She began to study photography in 1979 at the Avellaneda School of Audio-visual Arts. Between 1982 and 1995 she worked as a graphic journalist for the newspaper La Voz, the agency DyN and the newspaper Página 12.

Among numerous awards in 1991 she received the Hasselblad Grant, in 1995 she received the Guggenheim Grant -awarded for the first time in photography in Argentina-, in 1997 the Mother Jones Award and in 2009 the National Award in Argentine Photography. In 2010 she was distinguished for her cultural contribution at the City Mayor´s Office in Buenos Aires.

She has been devoted to teaching, organizing workshops and clinics. In 2007 she gave a photography workshop in the Women's Prison No. 3 in Ezeiza and in 2010 she was officially invited by PhotoEspaña to take a PHE10 Grand Masters class in Alcalá de Henares.

In 2015 she curated the exposition Bernard Plossu-Francoise Nuñez, Juntos (Bernard Plossu-Francoise Nuñez, Together), for the National Museum of Fine Arts, and the exposition Aquí Nos Vemos. Fotografía en América Latina 2000-2015 (Here we see. Photography in Latin America 2000-2015), at the CCK (this last one with Juan Travnik and Gabriel Díaz).

She has made the photo-essays Antártida negra (Black Antarctic, 2012), México (2010), El amor (Love, 1992-2005), Madres e hijas (Mothers and daughters, 1995/98), Mujeres presas (Imprisoned women, 1991/93), Madres adolescentes (Adolescent mothers, 1988-90) y Hospital Infanto-Juvenil (Children´s hospital, 1986-88).

She has published seven books: Mujeres presas, (Imprisoned Women) Colección Fotógrafos Argentinos, Buenos Aires (2001), 2nd edición 2008; Madres e hijas, (Mothers and Daughters) La Azotea Editorial, Buenos Aires (2003), published with the support of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation; Interior, published by Capital Intelectual, Buenos Aires (2010); La Obra, (The Work) published by Capital Intelectual, Buenos Aires (2011); Lo Que Se Ve (antología) (What Can Be Seen, anthology) , published by Capital Intelectual, Buenos Aires (2012); Antartida negra (Black Antarctic) , published by Capital Intelectual, Buenos Aires (2017) and Antartida negra-Los diarios (Black Antarctic-The diaries) , published by Tusquets, Buenos Aires (2017).

She is part of the Vu Agency (France) and is represented by Rolf Art Gallery (Argentina) and Clair (Germany/France). She lives and works in Buenos Aires.

Her most recent individual exhibitions include Lo Que Se Ve (What Can Be Seen), exhibited for the first time in 2008 in the Cronopios hall at the Centro Cultural Recoleta (Buenos Aires); Amores dificiles ((Difficult Loves), in 2010, at Casa de America, Madrid, an official exhibition by PhotoEspaña 2010; Adriana Lestido. Fotografias 1979/2007 (Adriana Lestido. Photographs 1979/2007), exhibited between may and july of 2013 at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Argentina; o Que Se Ve (What Can Be Seen) exhibited in 2014 at Art Gallery, Consulate General of Argentina, New York, USA; and at the Museum Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa; additionally, in 2015 it was exhibited at the Museo Caraffa (Córdoba, Argentina) and at the Museo Nacional de Belas Artes (MNBA), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. In 2015 she also exhibited the photo-essay Mexico at Rolf Art (Buenos Aires). In 2016 she exhibited Algunas chicas (Some girls) at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Buenos Aires (MACBA); Was zu sehen ist (What Can Be Seen) at the HAUS am KLEISPARK, Berlin. In 2017/2018, in the commemoration of the 20 years of PHE (PhotoEspaña), she exhibited Ellas, Nosotras, Vosotras (Them, us and you) at the Museo de Santa Cruz, Toledo, Convento de la Merced, Ciudad Real, and at the Museo de Guadalajara, Guadalajara. She also exhibited La maldita primavera (Damned spring) at Rolf Art and at the Museo Dionisi, Cordoba. Likewise, she exhibited for the first time Antartida Negra (Black Antarctic) at the Fundacion Fortabat, Buenos Aires. In 2019 she exhibited Antártida negra at the Argentina Embassy in Berlin and Algunas chicas (Some girls) at the documentary photography festival ImageSingulères, Séte, Francia.

Distinctions (selected)

Personalidad Destacada de la Cultura. (Distinguished in Cultural) Legislatura de Buenos Aires, (Mayor’s Office) 2010.

Medalla del Bicentenario (Bicentennial Medal), Buenos Aires, 2010.

Grand Acquisition Prize National Fine Arts Awards, 98th Edition. Buenos Aires, 2009.

Career Prize. Argentine Association of Art Critics. Buenos Aires, 2009.

Publication Subsidy, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. USA, 2003.

Konex Prize. Buenos Aires, 2002.

Leonardo Prize. National Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, 1998.

Mother Jones International Fund Prize. USA, 1997.

Golden Pyramid for a Distinguished Career. Fundación Académica de Artes Visuales. Buenos Aires, 1996.

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Grant. USA, 1995.

Erna and Victor Hasselblad Foundation Grant. Sweden, 1991.

La Nación Newspaper First Prize. Argentina, 1988.

First Prize Human Rights, APDH. Argentina, 1983.

Individual Exhibitions (selected)

2019 Algunas chicas, (Some Girls) ImageSingulières, Sala Tarbouriech. Séte, France.

2019 Antártida negra, (Black Antarctic) Botschft der Republik Argentinien, Berlin.

2018 Antártida negra, (Black Antarctic) Pompeo Boggio Museum, Chivilcoy, Argentina.

2018 La maldita primavera. (Damned Spring) Museo Dionisi. Córdoba, Argentina.

2017/2018 Antártida negra. (Black Antarctic) Fundación Fortabat. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2017 La maldita primavera. (Damned Spring) Rolf Art Gallery. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2017 Ellas, nosotras, vosotras. (Them, Us and You) Museo de Santa Cruz. PHOTOESPAÑA2017. Toledo, España.

2017 Ellas, nosotras, vosotras. (Them, Us and You) Convento de La Merced. PHOTOESPAÑA2017. Ciudad Real, Spain. Museo de Guadalajara. PHOTOESPAÑA2017. Guadalajara, Spain.

2016 Was zu sehen ist. HAUS am KLEISPARK, Berlin, Germany.

2016 Algunas chicas (Some girls). Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Buenos Aires (Macba).

2015 O Que Se Vê (What Can Be Seen), Museo Nacional de Belas Artes, Río de Janeiro, Brasil.

2015 Lo Que Se Ve (What Can Be Seen). Museo Emilio Caraffa, Córdoba, Argentina.

2015 México. Rolf Art. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2014 Lo Que Se Ve. Fotografías 1979/2007 (What Can Be Seen, Photographs (1979-2007). Africa Museum, Johannesbur, South Africa.

2014 Lo Que Se Ve. Fotografías 1979/2007 (What Can Be Seen, Photographs (1979-2007). Art Gallery. Consulate General and Promotion Center of Argentine Republic, New York, USA.

2014. El amor / Villa Gesell (Love / Villa Gesell). PhotoBooth, ArteBA. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2013. Adriana Lestido. Fotografías 1979/2007. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Buenos Aires, Argentina

2012 Mujeres presas (Imprisoned Women). L’Été photographique de Lectoure, Francia.

2010 Amores Difíciles. Fotografías 1979/2007 (Difficult Loves, Photographs, 1979-2007). PHOTOESPAÑA2010. Casa de América, Madrid.

2010 Argentine now. Clair, Munich and Markgrafenstr, Berlín, Germany.

2010 Adriana Lestido et Emily Schiffer. Deux femmes, deux regards, deux Amériques. Galerie Duboys. ParisPhoto. Paris, France.

2010 Madres e hijas a cielo abierto (Mothers and daughters in the Open Air). Parque Rodó. Montevideo, Uruguay.

2009 Madres e hijas y el amor (Mothers and Daughters and Love). Museo de Arte y Memoria. La Plata, Argentina.

2009 Lo Que Se Ve. Fotografías 1979/2007 (What Can Be Seen, Photographs (1979-2007). Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Rosa Galisteo de Rodríguez. Ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina.

2009 Lo Que Se Ve. Fotografías 1979/2007 (What Can Be Seen, Photographs (1979-2007). Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes Juan B. Castagnino, Rosario, Santa Fe.

2008 Lo Que Se Ve. Fotografías 1979/2007 (What Can Be Seen, Photographs (1979-2007). Centro Cultural Recoleta, sala Cronopios, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2008 Love. Centro Cultural de España, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana.

2007 Imprisoned Women. Hasselblad Center. Göteborg, Suecia.

2005 Mujeres presas (Imprisoned Women). Museo de Arte y Memoria, La Plata, Argentina.

2003 Madres e hijas (Mothers and Daughters). Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2001 Amores difíciles, histórias de máes e filhas. SESC. San Pablo, Brasil.

2000 Amores difíciles (historias de madres e hijas) (Difficult Loves, stories of mothers and daughters). Centro Cultural Parque España, Rosario, Argentina.

1999 Amores difíciles (historias de madres e hijas) (Difficult Loves, stories of mothers and daughters). Centro Cultual Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1999 Amores difíciles (historias de madres e hijas) (Difficult Loves, stories of mothers and daughters). Centro Fotográfico Alvarez Bravo, Oaxaca, México.

1998 Amores difíciles (historias de madres e hijas) (Difficult Loves, stories of mothers and daughters). Centro de la Imagen, Mexico DF.

1998 Difficult loves, stories of mothers and daughters. McDonough Museum, Ohio, USA.

1998 Difficult loves, stories of mothers and daughters. The Studio Gallery, San Francisco, USA.

1998 Mor och dotter. Kulturhuset, Estocolmo, Suecia.

1996 Mujeres presas con sus hijos (Imprisoned Women with their Children). Museo Mural Diego Rivera, Mexico DF.

1994 Mujeres presas con sus hijos (Imprisoned Women with their Children). Goethe Institute, Córdoba, Argentina.

1993 Mujeres presas con sus hijos (Imprisoned Women with their Children). Fotogalería Teatro San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1993 Mujeres presas con sus hijos (Imprisoned Women with their Children). Centro Cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1993 Adolescent Mothers. Theatre Workshop. Fotofeis, Edimburgo, Escocia.

1993 Madres adolescentes (Adolescent Mothers). Museo de Bellas Artes Pompeo Boggio, Chivilcoy, Argentina.

1993 Madres adolescentes (Adolescent Mothers). Fotogalería Argentina, Centro Cultural Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina.

1992 Adolescent mothers. The Art Institute of Houston. Fotofest, Houston, USA.

1990 Madres adolescentes (Adolescent Mothers). Fotogalería Teatro San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1988 Hospital Infanto-Juvenil (Childrens' Hospital). Centro Cultural Malvinas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1986 Adriana Lestido. Centro Cultural Neuquen, Neuquén, Argentina.

1986 Adriana Lestido. Centro Cultural Malvinas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Collective exhibitions (selected)

2019 Sol negro (Black sun). Centro de la Imagen. México.

2019 Urban Impulses. Latin American Photography from 1959 to 2017. The Photographers’Gallery. Londres.

2019 El Fantasma de la Libertad (Phantoms of Liberty) Fola, (Latin American Photo Gallery) Buenos Aires.

2019 En Construcción. (In Construction) Museo de la Universidad Nacional de 3 de Febrero (MUNTREF), (Museum 3 de Febrero) Buenos Aires.

2018 Argentine Photography 1850-2010. Contradiction & Continuity. Proa Foundation. Buenos Aires.

2018/2017 Argentine Photography, 1850-2010. Contradiction & Continuity. J.Paul Getty Museum, USA.

2017 Sublevaciones. (Uprisings) Muntref Centre of Contemporary Art. Buenos Aires.

2016 Love Stories. Les Photaumnales. Clermont-de-l’Oise, France.

2016 200 Años de Arte Argentino. (200 Years of Argentine Art) “Timoteo Navarro”,Museum of Fine Arts, Tucuman, Argentina.

2015 Framing Bodies. Hasselblad Center. Göteborg, Suecia.

2015 Latin Fire. CentroCentro Cibeles. PHE15. Madrid, España.

2014 Urbes Mutantes. Latin American Photography 1944-2013. International Center of Photography. New York, USA / (2013) Museo de la República. Bogotá, Colombia.

2014 AMERICA LATINA Photographies 1960 – 2013. Museo Amparo, Puebla, México.

2014 Intimidades. Foyer Sur Auditorio Juan Victoria. San Juan, Argentina.

2013 AMERICA LATINA Photographies 1960 – 2013. Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France / (2014) Museo Amparo. Puebla, México.

2013 4F. Bosch/Grossman/Lestido/Pintor. Unpublished photographs. Palais de Glace, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2012 Sur Polar IV. Museo del Tigre. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2011 Between two worlds: A window onto contemporary photography from Latin America. Edel Assanti Project Space. London, UK.

2011 Fotografía Argentina. Colección Rabobank. Museo de Arte Moderno. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2011 Clair de coeur. ARTPARIS2011. Paris, France.

2010 Imágenes e historia, Argentina 1848-2010. Fundación MAPFRE. Centro Culural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2010 Identidad. Centro Fotográfico Manuel Alvarez Bravo. Oaxaca, Mexico.

2010 Una mirada del sur. Museo Zorrilla. Montevideo, Uruguay.

2009 Nosotros Los Otros. Centro Cultural Recoleta. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2009 Huésped. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2009 VVV Gallery en ArteBA. Predio ferial de Palermo. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2008 BAPhoto08. Palais de Glace. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2007 El retrato, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2006 Vu by Robert Delpire. Centre National de la Photographie / Gallerie Vu. París, Francia.

2006 Obsesiones, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2006 80 + 80 photo_ grafisme, Galerie Anatome and Galerie Vu, Paris, France.

2006 La vida de un día, Museo Castagnino+macro, Rosario, Argentina.

2005 Photographes Argentis Concernés, Centre Regional de la Photograhpie Nord, Pas-de-Calais, France.

2005 Bonjour les enfants! L’Hotel de Ville, Douchy, Les Mines, France.

2004 Arte Argentino Contemporáneo, Museo Castagnino+macro, Rosario, Argentina.

2004 Memoria y sociedad, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2003 Fotografía argentina, Museé de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium

2003 El arte de la fotografía: Argentina 1990/2003, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Montserrat, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2003 La fotografia in cinque domande, Galleria Fnac, Milan / Galeria Vu, Paris.

2002 Silence, Ibis Art Centre, Nieu Bethesda, South Africa.

2002 Violence, NSA Gallery, Durban, South Africa.

2000 Myths, Dreams and Realities in Argentine Contemporary Photography, La Maison de l’Amerique Latine. Paris, France. Tour: (1999) ICP, New York, USA; (1997) Houston Center for Photography, Houston, USA and the (1996) Museo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2000 I Bienal de Arte de Buenos Aires, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1999 II Bienal de Artes Visuales de Mercosur, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

1999 Inferno & Paradiso, BildMuseet, Umea, Sweden.

1999 Fotografías en el Museo: Nuevas obras, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1998 Nicht nur Tango, Kulturhaus Lateinamerika, Colonia, Germany.

1998 Du témoignage à l’engagement, Maison Doisneau, Gentilly, France.

1998 Fotografía argentina actual, los noventa. Galería de Arte Contemporáneo Sol del Río, Antigua, Guatemala.

1998 100 años de fotografía argentina, Shadai Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. Tour: (1995) Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires; Queens College Art Center, CUNY, New York, USA.

1997 Fotokunst Fra Latinamerica. Kvindermuseet, Denmark.

1997 Otro mirar, Arte Argentino Contemporáneo, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires / Centre d’art Santa Mónica, Barcelona, Spain.

1996 Nicht Nur Tango - Argentinische Fotografie, Fotogalerie Kulturamt, Friedrichshain, Berlín, Germany.

1995 Mundos ocultos, Fotografía Argentina Contemporánea, Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela.

1995 Con ojos de mujer, Foro sobre la Mujer, Beijing 95, Huairou, China.

1994 En Face, Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, Sweden.

1993 Photographs from the Hasselblad Center Collection, Hasselblad Center, Sweden.

Collections

National Museum of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Museum of Modern de Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Castagnino+macro, Museum of Contemporary Art, Rosario, Argentina.

Fondation Cartier pour l’art Contemporain, Paris, France.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA.

National Museum of Fine Arts, Caracas, Venezuela.

Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France.

Chateau d’Eau, Toulouse, France.

Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, Sweden.

Centre Régional de la Photographie Nord Pas-de-Calais, France.

Rabobank Collection, Argentina.

Leticia and Stanislas Poniatowski Collection, Francia.

Anna Gamazo de Abelló Collection, Spain.

Fundación Comunidad Autónoma Castilla/La Mancha, Spain.

3 de Febrero National University Museum (MUNTREF), Buenos Aires.

Fototeca Latinoamericana (FOLA), (Latin American Photo Gallery) Buenos Aires,

Private Collections in Argentina, USA, Germany, Spain, England, Colombia, Ecuador and France.

Main Books and Publications (selected)

Antártida negra. (Black Antarctic) Capital Intelectual, Madrid 2017.

Antártida negra (los diarios). (Black Antarctic, the diaries) Tusquets, prologue by Juan Forn. Buenos Aires 2017.

Lo Que Se Ve (What Can Be Seen). Antologhy. Capital Intelectual, with the support of Mecenazgo Cultural of the City of Buenos Aires, texts by Marta Dillon and María de los Ángeles González. Madrid 2012.

La Obra (The Work). Capital Intelectual, prologue Juan Forn. Madrid 2011.

Interior. Capital Intelectual, prologue Guillermo Saccomanno. Madrid 2010.

Mujeres presas (Imprisoned Women). Colección Fotógrafos Argentinos, prologue Guillermo Saccomanno, Buenos Aires 2001, 2nd Edition 2008.

Madres e hijas (Mothers and Daughters), La Azotea Editorial, with the support of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, texts by Sara Facio and Marta Dillon. Buenos Aires 2003.

Latin Fire. Otras fotografías de un continente. (Other photographs from a continent) Text María Wills and Alexis Fabry. La Fábrica & Toluca, 2015.

Framing Bodies. Text Dragana Vujanovic. Hasselblad Foundation, Göteborg, Sweden. 2015.

Latin America Photographs 1960-2013. Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, Francia / Museo Amparo, Puebla, México, 2013

Urbes Mutantes. Latin American Photography. Texts by Alexis Fabry and María Wills. Editorial RM Verlag SL, Barcelona, España.

Fotografía Argentina. (Argentine Photography) Colección Rabobank. Rabotrading Argentina, Buenos Aires 2011.

Identidad. (Identity) Ediciones Larivière. Sponsored by the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto. Buenos Aires 2010.

Fotografía Latinoamericana, a selection (1895 > 2008). Anna Gamazo de Abelló Collection. Editorial RM. S.A. DE C.V., Mexico DF 2008.

Photo Poche, agence VU’ galerie, selection by Robert Delpire, texts by Christian Caujolle, published by the Centre National de la Photographie, Paris 2006.

Dulce Equis Negra, El Mar. Buenos Aires 2008.

Urban Photography in Argentina. Nine Artists of the Post-dictatorship Era, David William Foster, published by McFarland & Company Inc., USA 2007.

80 + 80 photo_ grafisme, Filigranes Editions / Aman Iman Créations, Paris 2006.

Treinta ejercicios de memoria. A 30 años del golpe, published by the Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología de la Nación Argentina, Buenos Aires 2006.

Arte Argentino Contemporáneo, published by the Museo Castagnino and el Macro, Rosario 2004.

La fotografia in cinque domande, Published by Gruppo Credito Valtellinese, Silvana Editoriale, Milan, Italy 2003.

Mapas abiertos, Fotografía latinoamericana 1991- 2002, Lunwerg Editores, Barcelona, Spain2003.

Visiones de un mito, un siglo de fotografía en Argentina, Musée de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium 2003.

The Journal of Contemporary Photography, Published by John Wood, Leo & Wolfe Photography Inc. Massachusetts, USA 2000.

Adriana Lestido. Un nuevo simbolismo, by Sara Facio in Revista buenos aires bellas artes nº 2, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Universidad de Palermo and CAYC, 1999.

Inferno and Paradiso, selected by Alfredo Jaar, published by Bild Museet, Sweden, 1999.

Arte Fotográfico Argentino, selected by Laura Buccellato, Published by the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, 1998.

d’une main… l’autre, selected by Fréderic Ripio, published by the Chateau d’Eau, Toulouse, Francia 1998.

Xposeptember, selected by Carl Heideken, Published by Stockholm Fotofestival, 1998.

Otro mirar, Arte Contemporáneo Argentino, selected by María Helguera, published by Cultura Generalitá de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain 1997.

Fotografía argentina actual dos, selection and texts by Sara Facio, La Azotea Editorial, Buenos Aires 1996.

La fotografía en la Argentina, selection and texts by Sara Facio, La Azotea Editorial, Buenos Aires 1995.

Las cautivas, text by Martín Caparrós, published by Página/30, Buenos Aires 1992.

Democracia vigilada. Fotógrafos argentinos, selected by Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, prologue by Miguel Bonasso, published by Fondo Cultura Económica, Mexico 1988.

Mujeres Presas con sus hijos, www.zonezero.com. Selected by Pedro Meyer.