'Truth in Hands' Chronicles 'Boom Latinoamericano' Through a Spanish Photographer's Lens

 A new exhibition, 'Truth in Hands' chronicles the works of Spanish photographer, Baldomero Pestana, a renowned portraitist of postwar literary and artistic figures,  especially known for capturing pivotal moments during the time of the 'Boom Latinoamericano,' a 1960s and 1970's literary movement, has opened at Madrid's Instituto Cervantes. 

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'Boom Latinoamericano,' is referred to a time when a few young Latin American writers and novelists, now literary giants, first gained popularity in Europe and the western world. 

The exhibition’s curators told the Guardian, "the country where he was born needs to settle the outstanding debt when it comes to recognizing his work as that of one of the most interesting Spanish photographers of the second half of the 20th century."  

Chus Villar, an art historian and gallery owner, and Juan Bonilla, a writer, and journalist, sifted through over 17,000 negatives to choose the 159 pictures which are now on display, the Guardian reported. 

“He’s best known as a portraitist and it’s a fundamental part of his work: obviously that had to be there and it occupies the main part of the exhibition room,” they told the Guardian.

The exhibition in collaboration with the City of Culture of Galicia Foundation charts the photographer's  life and times through his portraits of literary luminaries like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, José María Arguedas, Blanca Varela, a Peruvian poet, and many others. 

The Spanish photographer who died nearly three years ago is known to have traveled through the Latin American region and beyond, also captured local scenes. 

'Truth in Hands' runs from 16 February to 08 April.