Between the smoke and the mist. Sigfrido Koch Bengoechea

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The exhibition shows 150 photographs structured in two themes. The first has as its axis the "Album of War", whose most notable content are the photographs of the effects of the bombings in the Basque Country during the Civil War; the second focuses on bucolic photographs, perhaps nostalgic, published in the book "País Vasco: Guipúzcoa". Juantxo Egaña and Lee Fontanella are the curators of the exhibition.

• 18 February - 23 May, 2021
• From Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-20:00.
• Admission: 6 €

This exhibition is based on the photographic work of Sigfrido Koch Bengoetxea, the second of four sons of Willy Koch Schöneweiss, a photographer settled in Donostia-San Sebastián since the beginning of the 20th century, who began working with Benjamín Resines in his studio in this city.

Album of War

The exhibition takes place in two spaces. The photographs relating the Spanish Civil War are in the first space. The extraordinary album today forms part of the collections of San Telmo Museum, thanks to the Koch family, who have kept the album all these years. Its most remarkable contents are the effects of the bombardments in the Basque Country by the Italian Legionary Air Force (Italy) and the Condor Legion (Germany), who supported the forces of general Franco. In them, devastated towns appear, such as Amorebieta, Durango, Galdakao and Gernika. Included in this space are photographs of the so-called Iron Ring, a horseshoe-shaped protection system for the defence of Bilbao with 180 concrete bunkers.

In this section there is also a part devoted to documentation that will transport the spectator to the era in question. Magazines such as the American Life, where for the first time the most emblematic photo of the Spanish Civil War was published, taken by Robert Capa in Cerro Murriano. Others, such as the French magazine Regards, where Robert Capa and David Seymour (“Chim”) carried out several reports of the War in the Basque Country. Others that appear are: The graphic magazine Erri, published by the Communist Party of the Basque Country in 1937; Fotos, a national union graphic weekly; Vértice, a Falangist magazine published in Donostia-San Sebastián; the French newspaper Ce Soir and the English magazines Weekly Illustrated and The Illustrated London News.

País Vasco: Guipúzcoa

In the second space, photographs which answer to the description of bucolic, reminders, perhaps nostalgic, many of which were published in the book País Vasco: Guipúzcoa. These represent “a certain relief” in contrast to the Spanish Civil War space. They are originals from the luxurious book which was printed in photogravure in Bilbao in 1948. Its contents of 143 photographs represent the traditions, human types, traditional Basque dancers, grass-cutters and farmsteaders, among others, as well as rites of different types. Photographs of some villages also stand out for their artistic interest.

In this space, as in the former space, documentation has an important role to play. The book País Vasco, Guipúzcoa will be accompanied by other books published with similar aims and rare printing. Sigfrido Koch took part of photographic competitions, such as that organised by the magazine Sombras which was published by the Photographic Society of Madrid, in which images appear related to the book País Vasco: Guipúzcoa.