Aitor Lara

Aitor Lara (Bizkaia, 1974) develops documentary portrait work that addresses issues related to sociocultural values, identity, and anonymity, suggesting a way of interpreting contemporary reality. He has developed projects in different countries, delving into the social and anthropological dimensions of different religious cults, social minorities, and secret societies.

His professional career began in 1999 when he was awarded the Juana de Aizpuru Photography Prize. Since then, he has been honored with the most prestigious awards and scholarships, such as the Ruy de Clavijo Research Fellowship from Casa Asia (2004), the Multicultural Europe Award from Médicos del Mundo (2008), the Endesa Fellowship for Fine Arts (2013), the OjodePez Human Values Award from PhotoEspaña (2014), and the scholarship from the Royal Academy of Spain in Rome, AECID (2016). In 2018, his photographs inaugurated the Global Forum on Urban Violence, part of the United Nations Agenda for Sustaining Peace, held in Madrid. In 2018, the UNDP United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with National Geographic, commissioned him to develop the Out of Africa Migrations project, on the current phenomenon of African migration in Europe.

He has published several books, including Torre de Silencio, Maestranza, and Ronda Goyesca. He has also been featured in NewsWeek, the Financial Times, CNN, NBC, OjodePez, and Vokrug Sveta.