The Arthur Ross Gallery at the University of Pennsylvania will present the first American exhibition of acclaimed Basque photographer Fernando Postigo’s work from November 7 through late December 2025. This groundbreaking show offers unprecedented access to documentation of one of Spain’s most turbulent historical periods.
A Chronicle of Transformation
Postigo spent over two decades chronicling the Basque separatist movement from the late 1970s through the early 2000s. Working as a photojournalist in San Sebastián, he documented Spain’s transition to democracy following Franco’s death in 1975, the implementation of the new Spanish Constitution in 1978, and most significantly the Basque struggle for autonomy.
His lens captured both violence and celebration: riots and bombings alongside cultural moments like the Star Wars cast’s visit and local festivals. This stark visual record reveals the harsh realities that government officials often prefer to downplay or forget entirely, making his work both invaluable and controversial.
Riding through the city on his scooter, Postigo arrived at events as they were happening. He captured history as it was happening, and as a result he gained the nickname “Postigo Express.”
Rare Public Exhibition
Postigo’s photographs have been exhibited publicly only once before—at San Sebastián’s San Telmo Museum in “Postigo: Chronicle of an Era.” The Arthur Ross exhibition will feature over 70 prints spanning his entire career, drawn from an extensive archive of approximately 50,000 negatives.
Access and Freedom
As a local photographer from San Sebastián’s Gros neighborhood, Postigo enjoyed intimate access to both everyday life and major events. His documentation extends beyond headline-making moments to capture gradual social changes, cultural expressions, and daily experiences during this pivotal transition period.
Postigo’s career coincided with Spain’s democratization, when press freedom expanded dramatically after decades of censorship under Franco’s regime. His work represents a crucial contribution to Spanish photojournalism during this evolution, documenting political violence from ETA’s activities, the emergence of democratic institutions, economic transformation, and the Basque cultural renaissance.
This visual archive provides an invaluable record of social, political, and cultural changes in the Basque Country during a defining era in Spanish history.
Exhibition Features
The exhibition will be accompanied by a short film about Postigo made by exhibition curator and award-winning documentary filmmaker Peter Decherney. Postigo will attend the opening, providing a unique opportunity for programming that addresses Basque history, the role of photojournalism, and the press’s role during revolutionary times.
Postigo’s granddaughter, Libby Paquette, served as assistant curator to the exhibition, and she has just begun her first year as a Penn undergraduate.
This rare presentation offers American audiences their first chance to experience one of Europe’s most important photojournalistic chronicles of political transformation and social upheaval.
The Postigo Express is curated by Dr. Peter Decherney, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Term Professor in the Humanities, Professor of Cinema & Media Studies, and Director, Penn Global Documentary Institute, with Libby Paquette, Assistant Curator. Funding is provided by the Neumann Family Fund and the Arthur Ross Gallery.
Image credit: Peter Decherney, Postigo Express, 2025. Courtesy of the artist.