Joaquín Tusquets de Cabirol. Eloquent Form

Comprising nearly 5,000 negatives and around 1,000 printed photographs, the legacy of Tusquets de Cabirol has been shaped by the recent recovery and identification of a large part of his archive. The chance discovery in 2004 of a substantial set of his negatives in Palma de Mallorca, followed by the confirmation of their authorship in 2020, marked a turning point. Since then, his images have generated great interest and received the recognition they deserve, both for their aesthetic and documentary value.

A chemical expert by profession and co-owner of a factory, Tusquets de Cabirol devoted almost all his free time to photography outside professional circuits, maintaining a methodical practice over time, always using his Rolleiflex camera. His relationship with photography was defined by meticulous attention both at the moment of taking the shot and during the subsequent processes of developing and printing, which he carried out personally.

A member of the Agrupación Fotográfica de Cataluña (Photographic Association of Catalonia) from 1946, he participated in an associative context that encouraged exchange, group excursions, competitions, and the circulation of images, that shaped much of the thematic and stylistic direction of his work. Within this framework, the author developed a coherent body of work, attentive to shifts in photographic taste during the period and open to formal exploration, without relying on photography as a source of income or orienting it toward professional aims.

In a context in which Spain remained isolated from Europe and social criticism was not permitted, Tusquets de Cabirol’s photographic language moved from cinematic wide shots to more specific details, maintaining a constant focus on everyday life, urban landscapes, the coastline, and the rural environment of the postwar period.

Joaquín Tusquets de Cabirol. Eloquent form has been organized and produced by Fundación Mapfre in collaboration with the Photographic Social Vision Foundation, the institution that houses and manages the artist’s archive.