Fundación Foto Colectania

Fundación Foto Colectania is a private, non-profit foundation inaugurated in Barcelona in 2002 with the aim of disseminating Spanish and Portuguese photography produced from 1950 to the present and encouraging photography collecting in both countries. It was created around the collection of Mario Rotllant, which was transferred to the entity in 2001, the same year the foundation was constituted. The foundation is largely financed through sponsors, friends and members, and external collaborations. The foundation holds its own collection of nearly 3,000 contemporary photographs by 80 authors from Spain and Portugal, expanded by the donation of the archive of Madrid photographer Paco Gómez and parts of the funds of private collectors. It also manages deposits including the Juan Redón collection and the personal archive of Paco Gómez, for which it holds exclusive exploitation rights. The collection focuses on Catalan, Spanish and Portuguese artists, covering all artistic styles developed in photography from 1950 onward, with extensive series by figures such as Gabriel Cualladó, Xavier Miserachs, Alberto García-Alix, Francisco Catalán-Roca, Humberto Rivas, Chema Madoz, Joan Colom, Joan Fontcuberta and Javier Vallhonrat, as well as Portuguese photographers including Jorge Molder, Helena Almeida, António Júlio Duarte, Jorge Guerra, Fernando Lemos, Gérard Castello Lopes, Sena da Silva and Inês Gonçalves. Located in Barcelona's Gràcia district and later at Passeig Picasso 14 in the Born area, the foundation occupies a 300 m² space across two levels and a terrace, divided between an exhibition room and a library. The exhibition room was the first space in Barcelona specialised in photography, and it develops a programme dedicated to private and public collections, anthologies of internationally recognised photographers, and self-produced projects. The library specialises in photography from both countries and international collecting since 1900, with more than 2,000 volumes including recent books, out-of-print editions, magazines, catalogues and monographs. The foundation receives more than 15,000 visitors a year. Beyond exhibitions, Foto Colectania organises talks, debates, round tables and lectures on photography and collecting, as well as cross-disciplinary activities related to cinema, music and literature, and cultural trips. It works both locally in Barcelona, offering quality cultural programming, and internationally, producing and disseminating projects by Catalan and Spanish artists. Its activity has been recognised with numerous awards, including the ARCO Prize for Best National Private Collecting Initiative awarded to Mario Rotllant (2006), the ACCA Prize for Best Programming (2007), and the Bartolomé Ros Prize. In 2026 it joined the European FUTURES network, and in October 2026 it opens 'Emancipaciones. Colección Foto Colectania', curated by Florian Ebner of the Centre Pompidou, marking the start of its 25th anniversary celebrations in 2027.

Fundación Foto Colectania was constituted in 2001 and inaugurated in Barcelona in 2002 as a private, non-profit entity. Its founding purpose was to disseminate Spanish and Portuguese photography produced from 1950 onward and to foster photography collecting in both countries. The foundation was built around the collection of Mario Rotllant, which was ceded to the entity in 2001 and became its core, later expanded through new acquisitions. In the same year, the heirs of Madrid photographer Paco Gómez donated his personal archive, and the foundation became the exclusive holder of the exploitation rights to his work; the archive includes more than 24,000 negatives and nearly 1,000 prints. The foundation initially occupied a 300 m² space in Barcelona's Gràcia district, distributed over two levels and a terrace, divided between an exhibition room and a library. The exhibition room was the first space in Barcelona specialised in photography. In 2017 the foundation moved to Passeig Picasso 14 in the Born district. Over the years the collection grew to nearly 3,000 works by more than 80 photographers, covering all artistic styles in photography from 1950 to the present, with extensive series by artists such as Gabriel Cualladó, Xavier Miserachs, Alberto García-Alix, Francisco Catalán-Roca and Humberto Rivas, and emblematic series by Chema Madoz, Joan Colom, Joan Fontcuberta and Javier Vallhonrat, alongside Portuguese photographers including Jorge Molder, Helena Almeida, António Júlio Duarte, Jorge Guerra, Fernando Lemos, Gérard Castello Lopes, Sena da Silva and Inês Gonçalves. The foundation also holds deposits from collectors Juan Redón, Ferran Artigas and Silvia Rotllant, and manages the Paco Gómez archive. From its beginnings, the foundation's most prominent work has been promoting photography through its own exhibitions and those from international art centres and collections, complemented by talks, courses and activities. Notable exhibitions include 'Vidas Privadas. Fotografías de la colección Foto Colectania' (2004), 'La morada del hombre. Fotografías de la colección Martin Z. Margulías' (2012), 'CHORUS. Videoarte en la colección Martin Z. Margulías' (2012), 'Barcelona, 1957' by Leopoldo Pomés (2012-2013), and 'Obra-Colección. El artista como coleccionista', curated by Joan Fontcuberta (2013). In October 2026 the foundation opens 'Emancipaciones. Colección Foto Colectania', curated by Florian Ebner, chief curator of the photographic collection at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, exploring how photography accompanied the transformation of Spanish society and the evolution of the medium itself, placing Spanish photography in dialogue with the great narratives of European modernity. The exhibition marks the start of the celebration of Foto Colectania's 25th anniversary, to be commemorated throughout 2027. The foundation's activity has been recognised with numerous awards, including the ARCO Prize for Best National Private Collecting Initiative, awarded to Mario Rotllant, president of the foundation (2006); the Prize for Best Programming awarded by the Catalan Association of Art Critics (ACCA) in recognition of its work in disseminating collecting and its programming coherent with its founding objectives (2007); and the Bartolomé Ros Prize. In 2026 Foto Colectania joined the European FUTURES network for 2026-2028, continuing its mission to support photography and new generations. The foundation receives more than 15,000 visitors a year and is financed largely through sponsors, friends and members, and external collaborations.

• 2026

  Foto Colectania joins the European FUTURES network (2026-2028).

• 2026

  Exhibition 'Emancipaciones. Colección Foto Colectania' opens, curated by Florian Ebner.

• 2017

  Foundation moves to Passeig Picasso 14 in the Born district of Barcelona.

• 2013

  Exhibition 'Obra-Colección. El artista como coleccionista', curated by Joan Fontcuberta.

• 2012

  Exhibitions 'La morada del hombre' and 'CHORUS' from the Martin Z. Margulías collection.

• 2012

  Exhibition 'Barcelona, 1957' by Leopoldo Pomés (2012-2013).

• 2007

  ACCA Prize for Best Programming awarded by the Catalan Association of Art Critics.

• 2006

  ARCO Prize for Best National Private Collecting Initiative awarded to Mario Rotllant.

• 2004

  Exhibition 'Vidas Privadas. Fotografías de la colección Foto Colectania'.

• 2002

  Fundación Foto Colectania inaugurated in Barcelona.

• 2001

  Foundation constituted; Mario Rotllant's collection ceded to the entity; Paco Gómez archive donated by his heirs.

• 25th anniversary of Foto Colectania celebrated throughout the year.

Non-profit cultural foundation and photography centre focused on Spanish and Portuguese photography and collecting, operating locally in Barcelona and internationally.

• Photography collection of nearly 3,000 works by 80 authors

• Specialised photography library with over 2,000 volumes

• Temporary exhibitions

• Publications and catalogues

• Educational and cultural activities

1. 1Exposicions | Centre de fotografia | Col·lecció - Foto Colectaniafotocolectania.org
2. 2Sobre Foto Colectania - Foto Colectaniafotocolectania.org
3. 3Socis corporatius - Foto Colectaniafotocolectania.org
4. 4Foundation Photo Collection - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Fundación Foto Colectania - Wikipediaes.wikipedia.org