Ignacio Navas (b. 1989 Tudela, lives and works in Madrid) creates computational, generative and interactive projects based on photographic image to research how dominant structures—political, economic, or social—are made present and shape our everyday affairs. With this approach, Ignacio explores the possibilities that emerging technologies, computing, and new media offer to the photographic medium.
His recent work has received support from several grants and institutions, including the Visual Arts Creation Fellowship (Community of Madrid, 2024) and the Plastic and Visual Arts Fellowship (Government of Navarra, 2024). His images and interactive installations have also been part of initiatives such as Plat(t)form at Fotomuseum Winterthur (Switzerland, 2024), the Photoworks Digital Programme (UK, 2023), the Return2Ithaca Residency (Greece, 2023), and the FUTURES European Photography Platform (Netherlands, 2022).
Ignacio believes that contemporary creation cannot be understood without actively engaging in its own management. This conviction drives him to lead collective initiatives such as La Embajada (2024–), a platform to showcase projects created within the Spanish territorial context in the unofficial circuit of the Rencontres d’Arles festival, or El Local (2023–), an independent space for contemporary photography in Madrid.
_AWARDS, INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT & INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES
2025Portfolio Review Award, Pa-Ta-Ta Festival
Granada, ES
2024Ekoiztu 2025 Production Grant, Huarte Art Center
Huarte, ES
2024Plat(t)form 2024, Fotomuseum Winterthur
Winterthur, CH
2024Visual Arts Fellowship, Comunidad de Madrid
Madrid, ES
2024Plastic and Visual Arts Support Fellowship, Navarra
Pamplona, ES
2023XXXIV Circuitos de Artes Plásticas, Comunidad de Madrid
Madrid, ES
2022Futures European Photography Platform, Futures Foundation
Amsterdam, NL
_RESIDENCIES
2023Photoworks Digital Residency Programme (Online)
Brighton, UK
2023Return2Ithaca
Ithaca, GR
_SOLO, GROUP EXHIBITIONS & SCREENINGS (SELECTED)
2025Plastic and Visual Arts Support Fellowship Exhibition. Sala de Armas de la Ciudadela
Pamplona, ES
2025Mirades Festival. Museu de la Mediterrània
Torroella, ES2025V Anniversary. Galería Nueva Carabanchel
Madrid, ES2024Lazos, collective screening. Freezer Festival + El Local
La Plata, AR2024Lazos, collective screening. Gimnasio de Arte + El Local
CDMX, MX
2024PROYECTOR festival. Espacio Rastro
Madrid, ES
2024La Embajada. Collective exhibition
Arles, FR
2024La Trastienda. Pionera Gallery + El Local
Madrid, ES
2024Revela’t. Official festival programme
Vilassar de Dalt, ES
2023Circuitos 2023. Collective exhibition curated by Tolo Cañellas. Sala de Arte Joven de la Comunidad de Madrid
Madrid, ES
2023Proyectos Sótano. Obertura Carabanchel
Madrid, ES
2023Pantalla Completa, photographic image on videogames. El Local
Madrid, ES
2023Casilla Uno. Collective exhibition. El Local, curated by Deebo Barreiro
Madrid, ES
2023La Previa. First
collective exhibition at El Local
Madrid, ES
2022Reiniciar Ahora. Collective exhibition at Galería Nueva
Madrid, ES
_ART FAIRS
2024Art Photo BCN (El Local, thanks to the support of DiGood Collection)
Barcelona, ES
2023Art Photo BCN (El Local)
Barcelona, ES
_OTHER HONORS
2025Encuentros 5+1 (Online)
Vigo, ES
2024Shortlisted for Getxophoto’s Open Call 2024
Getxo, ES
2022Selected for Art Photo BCN Portfolio Review
Barcelona, ES
_ARTIST-RUN COLLECTIVE PROJECTS
2024La Embajada, an unofficial platform for Spanish Context Photography at the Rencontres d’Arles Photo Festival
Arles, FR
2023El Local, an artist-run space for lens-based media. We create initiatives such as Intersecciones, an open photography working group; curate exhibitions such as Pantalla completa, a show about the convergence of photography and video games; and run many activities related to contemporary photography.
Madrid, ES
2022
El Disparate, an independent support network for Spanish-speaking photographers.
We started by attending book fairs, and it has grown into a growing public community. We have promoted exhibitions such as Reiniciar ahora (Galería Nueva) and book faris (El Disparate X El Juglar), and shared resources such as Archivo Público de Dossieres: a collective archive of award-winning photography proposals for public reference.
Madrid, ES
_TEXTS, INTERVIEWS & DIGITAL CONTENT
2025La Embajada at PAC
Madrid, ES
2025La Embajada at eldiario.es
Madrid, ES
2024Interview for Art Photo BCN
Barcelona, ES
2024Interview with Carlos Barradas. LENSCRATCH
Los Angeles, US
2024Kickflip at Imaging Magazine, by Fujifilm
Barcelona, ES
2024Inside the creative process of Ignacio Navas, Photoworks
Brighton, UK
2024An Overview on Photography and Video Games, Photoworks
Brighton, UK
2023Danit Ariel In Conversation with Ignacio Navas
Brighton, UK
_PRESS (SELECTED)
2025"What is photography?” Der Greif Guest Room, curated by Joanna Zylinska & Yanai Toister
Munich, DE
2024Esto es un cuerpo #6
Madrid, ES
2023FOAM Link Room: Spain under Franco. Curated by Valeria Posada Villada and Winke Wiegersma.
Amsterdam, NL
_EDUCATION
2025-2024
Mediae 2024/25. Transmedia Storytelling at PhMuseum (Online)
Bologna, IT
2014-2013
Master’s Degree in Cultural Management at UC3M
Madrid, ES
2011-2009
Documentary Photography at Blank Paper School
Madrid, ES
2013-2007
Fine Arts Degree at UCM, Madrid.
Madrid, ES
All works © Ignacio Navas — VEGAP.