BIO
Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Oskar Alvarado is a visual artist currently living in Barcelona. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts at Basque Country University (UPV), a MA on Curatorial and Cultural Practices in Art and New Media at Higher School of Design (ESDI) in Barcelona and a Graduate Diploma in Management, Preservation and Dissemination of Photographic Archives at Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona (UAB).
His photographic work has been exhibited at the Instituto Cervantes in Belgrade (Serbia), National Museum of Helsinki (Finland), Fotonoviembre Atlántica Colectivas (Spain), Photo Is:rael (Israel), Archivo Histórico Provincial de Cáceres (Spain), Verzasca Foto Festival (Switzerland), Addis Foto Fest (Ethiopia), Solar Foto Festival (Brazil), BFoto Festival (Spain), Angkor Photo Festival or Voies Off Awards (France) among others.
At the same time, his work has been recognized in awards such as Sarajevo Photography Festival, Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award, Gomma Photography Grant, Photometria International Photography Festival, The Prefix Prize, Photo Collective Stories, Festival Images Gibellina, OpenWalls Arles, Flow Photofest, Lucie Foundation Fine Art Scholarship, Santiago Castelo International Photography Award, Life Framer Photography Award, Helsinki Photo Festival, Art Photo Bcn or Restart Lithuanian Photographers Association and awarded with the Fujifilm Photography Grant at XXIII Photography and Journalism Seminar of Albarracín.
AWARDS & GRANTS
2024
XXIII Photography and Journalism Seminar. Albarracín, SP – Fujifilm Photography Grant Winner
Festival Negativo Foto. Portfolio reviews. Badajoz, SP – Best Portfolio Winner
PEP Photographic Exploration Project. Berlin, DE – Selected
Paesaggi – Così vicino. FormicaLab. Cuneo, IT – Selected
IPE 166. Royal Photographic Society. Bristol, UK – Shortlisted
Certamen Arte Vital 2024. Vitoria-Gasteiz, SP – Selected
Out From The Mist. Brisbane, AU – Finalist
2023
Parallel Voices. Photometria International Photography Festival. Ioannina, GR – Winner
Gomma Photography Grant. London, UK – Honorable Mention
The Prefix Prize. Toronto, CN – Honorable Mention
Kursala 100. University of Cadiz, SP – Finalist
Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Unesco Extremadura Center. Cáceres, ES – Finalist
Angkor Photo Festival. Siem Reap, KH – Selected
Urbanautica Institute Awards. Asolo, IT – Shortlisted
2022
Sarajevo Photography Festival. Sarajevo, BA – 1st Place Documentary and Grand Prix Winner
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award. Tbilisi, GE – Best Conceptual Series Winner
Photo Collective Stories. Melbourne, AU – Finalist
Solar Foto Festival. Fortaleza, BR – Selected
Belfast Photo Festival. Belfast, UK – Highly Commended Artist
2021
Festival Images Gibellina. Gibellina, IT – Winner
OpenWalls Arles. British Journal of Photography & Galerie Huit Arles, FR – Winner
Flow Photofest. Highlands and Islands, Scotland, UK – Winning Image
Lucie Foundation Fine Art Scholarship. Los Angeles, USA – Honorable Mention
Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Unesco Extremadura Center. Cáceres, ES – Honorable Mention
Life Framer Photography Award. Night Life judged by Christophe Jacrot. London, UK – Honorable Mention
Belfast Photo Festival. Belfast, UK – Highly Commended Artist
BFoto Festival. Barbastro, ES – Selected
Fotonoviembre Atlántica Colectivas. Tenerife, ES – Selected
Chambre 07 Festival International de Photographie. Aubenas, FR – Selected
Foto Arica Festival Internacional de Fotografía. Arica, CH – Selected
Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award. Tbilisi, GE – Shortlisted
2020
Helsinki Photo Festival. Helsinki, FI – Winner
Art Photo Bcn. Barcelona, ES – Winner
OpenWalls Arles. British Journal of Photography & Galerie Huit Arles, FR – Winner
Helsinki Photo Festival. Portfolio Rewiews. Helsinki, FI – Winner
Life Framer Photography Award. Night Life judged by Todd Hido. London, UK – Honorable Mention
Restart. Lithuanian Photographers Association. Vilnius, LT – Finalist
Head On Photo Awards. Sidney, AU – Semi-Finalist
Verzasca Foto Festival. Sonogno, Verzasca Valley. CH – Selected
Emergentes – Prémio Internacional de Fotografia Encontros da Imagem. Braga, PT – Selected
2019
PHotoESPAÑA. Discoveries PHE19. Madrid, ES – Selected
IMAGO Lisboa Photo Festival. Lisbon Meeting Point Photofolio Review. Lisbon, PT – 20 best portfolios
BIPA, Barcelona International Photography Award. Best 50 photographers. Barcelona, ES – Finalist
Lucie Foundation Chromalux X Fine Art Scholarship. os Angeles, USA – Finalist
Gomma Photography Grant. London, UK – Shortlisted
Les Boutographies. Montpellier, FR – Shortlisted
Athens Photo Festival. Athens, GR – Shortlisted
Belfast Photo Festival. Belfast, UK – Shortlisted
Life Framer Photography Award. Night life. London, UK – Editor’s pick
2018
Helsinki Photo Festival. Helsinki, FI – Winner
Tokio International Foto Awards. Tokio, JA – Gold Winner and Honorable Mention
IPA International Photography Awards. Los Angeles, USA – 2nd Place Winner
Solar Foto Festival. Fortaleza, BR – Selected
2016
Addis Foto Fest. Addis Ababa, ET – Selected
Athens Photo Festival. Athens, GR – Shortlisted
2014
Voies Off Awards. Arles, FR – Selected
2002
LUX Awards. National Award for Professional Photography. Barcelona, ES – Finalist
2001
LUX Awards. National Award for Professional Photography. Barcelona, ES – LUX Silver
1998
Voies Off Awards. Arles, FR – Selected
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
Where Fireflies Unfold. XXIV Photography and Journalism Seminar. Fujifilm Photography Grant. Torre Blanca, Albarracín, SP (October – December)
Where Fireflies Unfold. Festival Negativo Foto. Badajoz, SP (November)
2023
Where Fireflies Unfold. Belgrade Photo Month. Instituto Cervantes. Belgrade, RS
In collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Belgrade
2021
Where Fireflies Unfold. BFoto Festival. Sala Francisco Goya, UNED. Barbastro, ES
2020
Where Fireflies Unfold. PHOTO IS:RAEL International Photography Festival. Kikar Hamedina, Tel-Aviv. IL
In collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Israel
2016
Insomnia. La Grey, Space for Contemporary Creation. SCAN Tarragona 2016, International Photography Festival. ES
1999
Shide. Gris Art. Barcelona, ES
1997
Conexiones. Gris Art. Barcelona, ES
GROUP EXHIBITIONS / Selection
2025
Where Fireflies Unfold. PEP Parallel Realities, European Month of Photography. Kommunale Gallery. Berlin, DE (February 21 to April 27)
2024
Where Fireflies Unfold. Paesaggi – Così vicino. FormicaLab. Piazza Galimberti. Cuneo, IT
Insomnia. Out From The Mist. Judith Wright Art Centre. Brisbane, AU
Mimetic. VII Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Museu Municipal. Sabugal, PT
Mimetic. VII Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Museo Aberto. Campo Maior, PT
La incertidumbre fragmentada. Certamen Arte Vital 2024. Escuela de Artes y Oficios. Vitoria-Gasteiz, SP
2023
Where Fireflies Unfold. Parallel Voices. Photometria International Photography Festival. Pyrsinellas Mansion– Municipal Regional Theater. Ioannina, GR
Where Fireflies Unfold. Festival Gibellina PhotoRoad. Fondazione Orestiadi. Gibellina, IT
Where Fireflies Unfold. Cáceres Abierto, Contemporary Art Biennial. Archivo Histórico Provincial. Cáceres, ES
Where Fireflies Unfold (Interactive installation). Der Greif. Past & Present. Pinakothek der Moderne and ZIRKA. Múnich, DE
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). Angkor Photo Festival. Chocolate Garden. Siem Reap, KH
Mimetic. VII Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Archivo Histórico Provincial. Cáceres, ES
Lucernario. Out From The Mist. Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery. Mandurah, AU
2022
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). Solar Foto Festival. Complex Cultural Estação das Artes. Fortaleza, BR
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). FORMAT International Photography Festival. QUAD’s Resource Area. Derby, UK
Where Fireflies Unfold. Sarajevo Photography Festival. Galerija Muzeja USK. Bihać, BA
Where Fireflies Unfold. Sarajevo Photography Festival. JU Dom Kulture Edhem Mulabdic. Maglaj, BA
Where Fireflies Unfold. Sarajevo Photography Festival. JU KSC Kakanj. Kakanj, BA
Where Fireflies Unfold. Sarajevo Photography Festival. Sarajevo City Hall. BA
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). Kolga Tbilisi Photo Award. Former. Tbilisi, GE
Where Fireflies Unfold. V Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Fábrica da Criatividade. Castelo Branco, PT
Where Fireflies Unfold. V Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Galería Municipal. Montemor-o-Novo, PT
Where Fireflies Unfold. XXXVI Certamen Artístico Villa de Amurrio. Sala de exposiciones municipal La Casona. Amurrio, ES
Insomnia. Limited Edition Helsinki Photo Festival. Marski Gallery by Scandic Hotel. Helsinki, FI
Lucernario. Out From The Mist. 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space. Gold Coast, AU
2021
Where Fireflies Unfold. Fotonoviembre Atlántica Colectivas – COAC Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos. Tenerife, ES
Where Fireflies Unfold. V Santiago Castelo International Photography Award. Sala Pintores. Cáceres, ES
Where Fireflies Unfold. Flow Photofest. Highland Print Studio. Inverness, UK
Where Fireflies Unfold. OpenWalls Arles 2021. Galerie Huit Arles. FR
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). Festival Images Gibellina. Palazzo di Lorenzo. Gibellina, IT
Insomnia. Chambre 07. Centre Le Bournot. Aubenas, FR
Insomnia. Foto Arica Festival Internacional de Fotografía. Fundación Casa Yanulaque. Arica, CL
Insomnia. Mass Isolation Finland. Veteli Art Manor. Veteli. FI
Insomnia. Mass Isolation Finland. Nykyaika Photographic Center. Tampere. FI
Insomnia. Mass Isolation Finland. Northern Photographic Centre. Oulu. FI
Insomnia. Mass Isolation Finland. Galleria Ratamo. Jyväskylä. FI
2020
Where Fireflies Unfold. Verzasca Foto Festival. Of men and woods. Sonogno, Verzasca Valley. CH
Where Fireflies Unfold. OpenWalls Arles. Galerie Huit Arles. FR
Where Fireflies Unfold. Helsinki Photo Festival. National Museum and Korjaamo. Helsinki, FI
Where Fireflies Unfold. Prospectus Gallery, Restart. Vilnius, LT
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). Agora Gallery. New York, USA
2019
Where Fireflies Unfold (Projection). BIPA Best 50th photographers, Valid Foto Gallery. Barcelona, ES
Insomnia. Out From The Mist. Brisbane City Hall, AU
2018
Insomnia. PH21 Gallery, Nocturnal. Budapest, HU
Insomnia. Helsinki Photo Festival. Galleria Futura and Kellohalli. Helsinki, FI
Insomnia (Projection). Solar Foto Festival, Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura. Fortaleza, BR
2016
Insomnia. Addis Foto Fest. Sheraton Addis H. Addis Ababa, ET
2014
Insomnia (Projection). Voies Off Awards, Archbishop’s Palace court-yard. Arles, FR
2003
Citerea (Projection). BAC! IV Barcelona International Contemporary Art Festival. Video Art Session, CCCB. Barcelona, ES
Citerea (Projection). BAC! IV Barcelona International Contemporary Art FestivaVideo Art Session, MACBA. Barcelona, ES
Citerea (Projection). VAD Festival Internacional de Video i Arts Digitals, Girona, ES
Citerea (Projection). Barcelona Visual Sound, Festival Audiovisual de Creació Jove. Barcelona, ES
Citerea (Projection). Videoformes, Parallèles Official Selection, 18ème Festival International d’Arts et multimédia video. Clermont-Ferrand, FR
Citerea (Projection). Stripart, 8.0 Mostra de joves creadors, Espai Jove Boca Nord, Barcelona, ES
Citerea (Projection). Festival Envideo, Gran Teatro. Cáceres, ES
Citerea (Projection). IX Festival d’Imatges en Moviment, State Fair Video, Calella, ES
2002
Citerea (Projection). 10 º CANARIASMEDIAFEST, International Festival of Video and Multimedia. Museo Elder de la Ciencia y la Tecnología. Las Palmas, ES
Citerea Projection). CON-MUTACIONES02, Zaragoza, ES
Citerea (Projection). 3a Mostra d’Art Sonor i Visual, Convent de Sant Agustí, Barcelona, ES
1998
Conexiones (Projection). Voies Off Awards, Archbishop’s Palace court-yard. Arles, FR
1994
Conexiones. Medir el cuerpo, medir la ciudad. Arteleku Center for Contemporary Art and Culture. San Sebastian, ES
Conexiones. Medir el cuerpo, medir la ciudad. Sala Araba, Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES
RESIDENCES
1994
Arteleku Center for Contemporary Art and Culture. San Sebastián, ES
TALKS
2024
TOMAINA 3rd International Colloquium. The new generation of image creators. UNAM Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. MX
COLLECTIONS
Fondazione Orestiadi. Gibellina, IT
Consorcio Universitario UNED. Barbastro, ES
PUBLICATIONS / Print
2024
El País. Opinion Section: Exhibition. ES
2023
Fotonoviembre 2021. TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes. Tenerife, ES ISBN 978-84-124928-3-5
VII Premio Internacional de Fotografía Santiago Castelo 2023. Centro Unesco de Extremadura. Cáceres, ES ISBN 978-84-124702-3-9
2022
Stories Anual 2022. Photo Collective. Melbourne, AU
2021
V Premio Internacional de Fotografía Santiago Castelo 2021. Centro Unesco de Extremadura. Cáceres, ES ISBN 978-84-124702-0-8
#mass isolation projectfi. K.H. Renlundin museo – The Centre for Creative Photography – Northern Photographic Centre. FI ISBN 978-952-68208-1-1
2020
Restart. Lithuanian Photographers Association. LT ISBN 978-9955-438-82-3
2011
Shoes: Fashion & Desire. Instituto Monsa de Ediciones. Barcelona, ES ISBN 978-84-15223-33-7
PUBLICATIONS / Online
2024
Where Fireflies Unfold. El País
2022
Where Fireflies Unfold. Edge of Humanity Magazine
Where Fireflies Unfold. Audioteca Fotográfica Mujer Puente
2021
Where Fireflies Unfold. Interview, Art Photo Bcn
Where Fireflies Unfold. PHMuseum Featured Project
Where Fireflies Unfold. Life Framer Collection
2020
Where Fireflies Unfold. 100 Hundred Photographize Anual Book Best Selected 2020
Where Fireflies Unfold. Top 250 PHMuseum Stories of 2020
2019
Where Fireflies Unfold. Der Greif, Guest Room. «Your Truth» an online exhibition curated by Sara Hemming
Insomnia. Life Framer, Night life Editor’s Pick
2018
Lucernario. Der Greif, Guest Room. «Post Homosapiens» an online exhibition curated by Mónica Allende
Lucernario. Elizabeth Avedon Journal
2016
Where Fireflies Unfold. Burn Magazine
2013
Insomnia. L’Oeil de la Photographie