Magnum Contact Sheets Photography Exhibition at Centro Cultural La Malagueta

This exhibition explores the intimate and often private creative process of 65 iconic Magnum Photos photographers through their original contact sheets. By presenting the 'notes' and trial shots alongside the final images, the show offers a rare glimpse into the development of some of the most historic photographic moments of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Magnum. Contact Sheets offers an unprecedented look at the history of 20th-century photojournalism by exposing the 'limbo' of photographs that rarely reach the public eye. Contact sheets act as personal journals for photographers, capturing both the 'decisive moments'—as described by Henri Cartier-Bresson—and the errors, missed opportunities, and technical experiments that occur behind the scenes. This selection of over 150 photographs from 65 international legends provides a privileged view into how famous images were constructed from initial conception to the final selection. The exhibition covers significant historical episodes from the 1930s to 2010, including the D-Day landings, the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the 9/11 attacks, while featuring portraits of iconic figures such as Martin Luther King, Che Guevara, and the Beatles. Curated by Dumia Medina, the exhibition features work from a diverse group of Magnum members, ranging from founders like Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson to contemporary masters like Steve McCurry and Paolo Pellegrin. It serves as an educational dive into the evolution of photography, displaying various formats from 35mm film to early digital editing experiments.

The exhibition is hosted at Centro Cultural La Malagueta. Visitors can attend during regular museum hours, which are Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00.