Barcelona Llibres

A new book, made and designed by the photographer, recovered from his archive. More than 200 images of Barcelona, between which the author creates a dialogue on a series of double-page spreads.

‘Among the things I still want to do is a photography book I would like to call The Skin of Barcelona, which would show the passage of time through the city’s façades.’ (Francesc Català-Roca)

To mark the centenary of the birth of Francesc Català-Roca, the most important Catalan photographer of the twentieth century, Grup Enciclopèdia and Barcelona City Council present a new book the artist spent years creating, which was left to one side in the Architects’ Association archive when he died. It contains more than 200 images of the city – mainly close-up shots – between which the author creates a dialogue on a series of double-page spreads.

It is a creation from the photographer’s peak that summarises his relationship with his adoptive city. This posthumous book is accompanied by a smaller volume, which contextualises the project, discusses the photographer and reproduces the chapter of his memoir in which he talks about his relationship with the city of Barcelona.

The first book is a faithful reproduction of the physical mockup prepared by Francesc Català-Roca. The second contains texts by Lluís Permanyer, his friend and colleague; Andreu Català Pedersen, the photographer’s son; Laura Terré, an expert on Català-Roca and curator of the events to mark his centenary, and Guim Costa, chairman of the Architects’ Association of Catalonia. It also includes the excerpt of Francesc Català-Roca’s memoir in which he talks about his relationship with Barcelona and mentions his desire to publish this book one day.