From Wallsend To Javea: The English Photographer Who Built A Bridge Between Spain And Latin America

From nan streets of Wallsend to nan sun-drenched Costa Blanca, Mike Steel’s lifelong travel has been a lens-focused escapade bridging cultures, continents, and generations. Photographer, show founder, Steel, together pinch his partner Mili Sánchez, has transformed Javea and Denia into a vibrant hub for photography enthusiasts, hosting exhibitions that rival nan prestige of New York’s MoMA and London’s Tate – each while celebrating nan overlooked talents who merit nan spotlight.

Born successful 1965 successful Wallsend, adjacent Newcastle – birthplace of Sting and different renowned English figures – Mike Steel’s communicative is 1 of quiet escapade and creator passion. When 1 of his brothers faced wellness problems, his parents decided to move to Spain successful 1969. From past on, Mike attended schoolhouse successful Spain, opening successful preschool.

His parents explored nan Catalan coast, spending immoderate clip successful towns specified arsenic Sitges, but thing rather felt correct until they reached Javea, Alicante – wherever Mike still lives today.

“My relative and I were nan only English pupils astatine school”

It was during nan dictatorship. There were still six years near earlier Franco’s decease and 3 much earlier democracy. “We were practically nan only British family successful nan area. My relative and I were nan only English pupils astatine schoolhouse – nan only Protestants – truthful we were exempt from belief classes.”, he said to Euro Weekly News.

At 18, Mike returned to England. “I wanted to get to cognize my ain country,” he says pinch a laugh. “And I discovered it was very cold!” He lived successful London, wherever he began his profession successful photography, but soon returned to Spain. After years of travelling, he settled successful Madrid.

“There I met Mili (Sánchez), my partner for galore years – we precocious sewage married,” he smiles. Together, they founded Ojos Rojos magazine, dedicated to Spanish and Latin American photography. “In Spain, photographers are often unknown. Everyone knows who Cartier-Bresson is, but fewer person heard of Julián Zuazo,” Mike explained.

Back to nan Costa Blanca

Later, nan mates moved backmost to nan Costa Blanca to beryllium person to Mike’s parents. “We stayed successful Javea, and since moving arsenic photographers present isn’t easy, we decided to transmission our passion into creating a show – thing for illustration what you’d find successful London aliases Madrid,” he says.

Thus was calved nan Ojos Rojos Festival successful 2019, which takes spot successful Javea and Denia, featuring exhibitions usually recovered only successful prestigious museums and galleries specified arsenic New York’s MoMA aliases London’s Tate.

Classic and modern photography successful Denia and Javea

This year’s programme includes renowned photographer Gloria Irazabal, a cardinal fig successful modern photography. Also featured are classical useful by Palmira Puig and Marcel Giró astatine nan Museo Soler Blasco, located conscionable steps from PFZ Gallery – an elegant abstraction reminiscent of New York galleries, owned by photographer Julián Zuazo, who presents a singular postulation including portraits of a NASA astronaut.

“Cuando duermen las tortugas” Credit: Susana Galbis / Ojos Rojos Festival

Another item is Memorias Sonámbulas astatine Casa del Cable, a retrospective of nan agelong and distinguished profession of photographer Luis Asín. Meanwhile, Luisa Dorr, a National Geographic contributor, brings her captivating thoroughfare photography focusing connected falleras – but pinch a twist: her subjects are foreigners, Africans, and Latin Americans who person go portion of nan vibrant world of Valencia’s accepted festivals.

Through Ojos Rojos, Mike Steel and Mili Sánchez continues to span cultures and continents – bringing together nan champion of Spain, Latin America, and their English and Spanish roots successful a shared passion for photography.

Multiple exhibitions crossed Denia and Javea

In Denia, exhibitions tally from November 7 to November 30, including Gloria Oyarzabal astatine Centre d’Art L’Estació, Luisa Dörr astatine Plaza del Consell, Marcos Avilés astatine Mercat Municipal, and Jose Miguel Cerezo astatine Casa de Cultura. Together, these venues connection a unsocial chance to research some modern and classical photography successful nan bosom of nan Costa Blanca.