Albarrán Crabrera

About Albarrán Crabrera

Angel Albarrán (born in 1969 in Barcelona) and Anna Cabrera (born in 1969 in Seville) are a Spanish photographer duo who have been working together since 1996. Specialists in printing, conservation techniques, and photo restoration, they view their photography as standalone objects. They develop a unique artistic universe that intertwines the poetry of everyday life with alternative processes. Their inspirations are mainly drawn from literature, sciences, and Asian arts to create evocative and dreamlike works. They are recognized on the international scene and live and work in Barcelona.

Photographic approach of Albarrán Crabrera

Their work is characterized by the use of ancient analog processes such as cyanotype, platinum-palladium, and other techniques, and they even invent new ones that they merge with unique materials like Japanese paper, pigments, and minerals. Albarrán Cabrera’s intent is to provoke reflections on themes such as identity and the past. More broadly, the artists aim to question the relationship with time and memory, as well as the perception of the photographic image, which they depict between the real and the imaginary. Their style is recognizable, particularly through the use of gold leaf, an iconic element of their work that frequently appears in their images and on their book covers. Although they are mainly known for nature and landscape images depicting elements such as trees, plants, rocks, and sometimes more abstract textures, they occasionally incorporate human figures. Indeed, in their series "This is You Here" (2020), they combine images of places with archival photos, creating a fictitious family symbolized by mysterious silhouettes whose faces are never shown. The aim of this series is to deepen the concept of identity and the relationship between place and identity. With this work, Albarrán Cabrera seeks to trigger subconscious associations in viewers based on their memories.

Exhibitions

Their photographs are exhibited internationally, mainly in Europe, North America, and Asia. Some of the venues for their solo and group exhibitions include the Michael Hoppen Gallery in London, Tokyo Institute of Photography, Nailya Alexander Gallery in New York and at Hangar in Brussels. Additionally, their works are part of numerous institutions and private collections, such as the Fundacio La Pedrera in Barcelona and the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, and they are represented by about ten galleries worldwide, including Ibasho Gallery in Antwerp.

Art Book Publications by Albarrán Crabrera

Albarrán Cabrera’s projects are not only presented as exhibitions but also as art books. For example, their book "Remembering the Future" received the Best Spanish Book Award at PhotoEspaña in 2019. Other notable works include "Des oiseaux" by Atelier EXB (2020), echoing the collective exhibition held at the Hangar in 2022, "The World's First Photobook was Blue" (2021) co-published by the(M) éditions and IBASHO, and more recently "On Listening to Trees" (2023) also by Atelier EXB.