On the occasion of Fundación Canal’s current exhibition, Elliott Erwitt. La comedia humana (Elliott Erwitt. Human Comedy), Cristina de Middel, photographer and current president of Magnum Photos, is leading this conference to reflect on, and delve into, the role of humour in snapshots.
Cristina de Middel is a Spanish photographer. After a decade as a photojournalist, her creative and subversive focus, where humour played a key role, stands out. She uses irony and the absurd to question and reinterpret realities and stereotypes. In series like “Los Afronautas (Afronauts), Middel combines humorous and fictitious elements to challenge the viewer’s perception and open up new perspectives on serious issues, proving that humour can be a powerful tool in visual narrative.
After a decade as a photojournalist, Cristina de Middel took on a conceptual focus to question the documentary value of photography. In 2012, her series “Los Afronautas (Afronauts)” marked the beginning of her exploration into photographic stereotypes. She has curated festivals such as Lagos Photo and PhotoEspaña, has published over 14 books, and exhibits her work internationally. She has been a board member of Vist Projects and president of Magnum Photos since 2022.
With a degree in Information Science and a Master’s Degree from El País, she has been working in the culture department for TVE’S La 1 news show for 20 years. With her professional background and involvement, she is a leading journalist in the cultural field.
