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Agustín Centelles Biography

1909 Grau de Valencia - 1985 Barcelona.

In 1936 he captures the insurrection of 19th July in Barcelona. He then goes as a graphic reporter with the popular militia to the front of Aragon. He photographes the battles of Belchite and Teruel. In 1937 he is in charge of the Unit of Photographic Services of the East Army. In early 1939 he crosses by feet the border to France carrying with him a bag with four thousand negatives and a Leica, leaving his family behind in Barcelona. He ends up at the refugee camps of Argelès and Bram later, where he manages to run a clandestine photolab and to document the harsh conditions of life. In 1944 he returns clandestine to Barcelona and will not get hold of the bag with the negatives again until 1976, which meanwhile has been perfectly looked after by a farmer couple at Carcassonne.

He reiceves the National Award for Plastic Arts in 1984.

Books: “Visions de guerra i de retaguarda”, published in 1937 and reeditioned in 1977, “Els catalans a la Republica i a la Guerra. Anys de mort i desperanza”, 1977. , “Catalunya republicana i revolucionaria 1931-1939” , 1982, ” En ese preciso instante”, 1984 , “Agustín Centelles (1909-1985) Fotoperiodista”, 1988.