Biography

Born 1971 in Sestao, Basque Country.
Roberto Aguirrezabala lives and works in Bilbao, Basque Country.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts – Audiovisual and Painting specialties. University of the Basque Country, 1995.

Sculpture workshop directed by Txomin Badiola and Ángel Bados, in Arteleku art centerof Donostia-San Sebastián, 1994.

Master in New Technologies and Internet. Tracor New Technologies Center. Bilbao, 1995-1996.

Art and Electricity electronic art workshop directed by the Rodriguez Foundation in Arteleku of Donostia-San Sebastián, 2000-2001.

Professional Photography course directed by photographer Jesús López de Uribe. Las Arenas, courses 90-91 / 91-92.

Awards and grants

• 2026
• First Prize in Photography, Fundación ENAIRE 2026.

• 2025
• Shortlisted at Henri Cartier-Bresson Self-Published Photobook Award.
• Selected at 13th Pilar Citoler International Biennial Photography Award.

• 2024
• Shortlisted at Singapore International Photography Festival 2024 (SIPF), Open Call Showcase 2024 – Photobooks, Singapur.
• Honorable Mention at the Discovery Award 2024 call of the Encontros da imagem festival (Braga, Portugal).
• Shortlisted at Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2024, in the Author Book Award category.

• 2023
• Grant for the promotion of Spanish Contemporary Art 2023, in the category of artistic creation and production, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Government of Spain.
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant in the Publications modality.
• Honorable Mention in the Photobook Award 2023 at Encontros da Imagem (Braga, Portugal).
• Selected at XXIII Encuentros de Arte Contemporáneo (EAC-2023).
• Chosen as a winner of the 2023 Open Submission of Belfast Photo Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland.

• 2022
• Grant for the promotion of Spanish Contemporary Art 2022, in the category of artistic creation and production, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Government of Spain.
• Shortlisted at the Lucie Photobook Prize 2022, Independent Category, of the Lucie Foundation, Los Angeles, USA.
• 3rd Prize Winner of the Photobook Award EI2022 – Encontros da Imagem, Braga, Portugal.
• Shortlisted at Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2022, in the Author Book Award category, France.
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant in the Publications modality.
• Finalist at the Athens Photo Festival 2022, Greece.
• Shortlisted at the Singapore International Photography Festival 2022 (SIPF), Open Call Showcase 2022 – Photobooks, Singapore.

• 2021
• Shortlisted at the Lucie Photobook Prize 2021, Independent Category, of the Lucie Foundation.
• VI City of Móstoles Artist Book Award.
• XI Encontro de Artistas Novos Cidade da Cultura – EAN11, directed by Rafael Doctor Roncero.
• Selected at the Open Call of the Festival PhotoBookWeek Aarhus 2021, Denmark.
• Shortlisted at Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2021, in the Author Book Award category.
• Grants for artistic research, creation and production in the field of visual arts from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Government of Spain.

• 2020
• Grant for Creation by VEGAP.
• Azokartean (Production for a project).

• 2019
• X Pilar Citoler International Biennal Prize of Contemporary Photography (Finalist).
• Finalist in The Best Photography Books of the Year PHotoESPAÑA.
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant in the Publications modality.

• 2018
• Montehermoso Award at the Viphoto Festival.
• First prize V Ankaria Artist Book Award, Ankaria Foundation.
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant in the Publications modality, for the publication of the War Edition photobook.
• Convocatoria de proyectos BiAD – Bilbao Art District. Producción de proyecto fotográfico para espacio público.

• 2017
• Acquisition Award at the XX Sala El Brocense Plastic Arts Prize.
• IX Pilar Citoler International Biennal Prize of Contemporary Photography (Finalist).
• Photographer of the Year Award, International Photography Awards IPA 2017 – Spanish edition.
• Finalist in the international edition of International Photography Awards IPA, in the International Photographer of the Year category.
• Special mention PHotoEspaña, Premio de Fotografía Fundación Enaire.
• Obra Abierta International Plastic Arts Award. Bancaria Caja de Extremadura Foundation (Finalist).

• 2016
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant.

• 2015
• Bilbao Arte Foundation Grant.
• Prize individual exhibition and monographic book for the 2016 calendar. Fundación Bilbao Arte Fundazioa.

• 2013
• ARTESHOP Bilbao.

• 2012
• ARTESHOP Bilbao.

• 2010
• Plastic Arts Basque Government Grant.
• Bilbao Arte Foundation Grant.

• 2007
• Visual 07. Mahadahonda, Madrid (Finalist).
• Laus 07. Barcelona (Finalist).

• 2006
• Premio Mobius Barcelona Multimedia, to represent Spain in the international edition in Montreal – Quebec, Canada.
• Special mention in “III Muestra Internacional de Arte Digital Orilla 06”, Santa Fé, Argentina.
• BAC Festival!. Barcelona (Finalist).

• 2005
• Diputación Foral de Bizkaia Grant.

• 2002
• First prize Best Work of net.art X Canariasmediafest, Festival Internacional de Vídeo y Multimedia de Canarias (2002).
• Gure Artea (Selection).

• 2001
• Generación 2001 de Caja Madrid Grant.
• Production of Arteleku, Taller Arte y Electricidad.

• 2000
• Premios Mobiüs Barcelona. (Finalist).

• 1999
• MECAD artistic creation grant, Media Centre d`Art i Disseny de Barcelona.
• Arteleku production for a net.art project.

• 1998
• Award to the revelation artist in Festival de Vídeo de Navarra.

• 1996
• Ertibil.

• 1995
• Acquisition Award. Patrimonio artístico Universidad del País Vasco.

• 1994
• Ertibil.
• Gure Artea (Selection).

• 1993
• First Prize en XI Certamen de Pintura de Muskiz, Bizkaia.

• 1992
• Bizkaiko Artea (Selection).

• 1991
• Bizkaiko Artea (Selection).

• 1987
• Third Prize drawing category, Concurso de Artes Plásticas de Euskadi.

Solo Exhibitions

• 2024
• Book no-book. URIBITARTE40 hall of the Bilbao Arte Fundazioa Foundation, Bilbao, Spain.

• 2019
• War Museum. Montehermoso Cultural Center, Vitoria-Gasteiz.

• 2016
• Entropy. Bilbao Arte Foundation, Bilbao.

• 2008
• Roberto Aguirrezabala: Net.art 1998–2008. Centro Huarte de Arte Contemporáneo, Huarte.
• Easyfriend. Espacio CAMON de la CAM, Alicante.

• 1996
• City Hall Showroom, Barakaldo.

• 1995
• La Fundición Gallery, Bilbao.

• 1989
• Kultur Etxea Showroom, Sestao.

Group Exhibitions (Selection)

• 2026
• XIII Pilar Citoler International Biennial Photography Award, Cordoba, Spain.

• 2025
• Bold, The Self-Published Protobook Weekend, Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson, Paris, France.

• 2024
• Perpetuum mobile, curated by Alejandro Castellote. Amós Salvador Hall, Logroño, Spain.
• Singapore International Photography Festival 2024 (SIPF), Open Call Showcase 2024 – Photobooks, Singapur.
• Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2024, The Book Awards, Francia.
• Encontros da imagem festival, Discovery Award – September 2024 (Braga, Portugal).
• Perpetuum mobile, curated by Alejandro Castellote. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid. Exhibition of the official program of the PhotoEspaña 2024 festival.
• Ressons de la memòria, Fotollibres del present, curated by Marta Martín Nuñez. Castell de Montjuic, Barcelona.

• 2023
• A modern tradition curated by Javier González de Durana. Gallery URIBITARTE40 in Bilbao, Fundación Bilbao Arte Fundazioa.
• La palabra pintada (The Painted Word) Exhibition, curated by Ankaria Foundation. Sala Vimcorsa, Cordoba, Spain.
• Encontros da Imagen – Photobook Award 2023, Braga, Portugal.
• Exhibition Poetics of memory. How art prevents oblivion and dignifies the victims, Palacio de los Condes de Gabia, Granada, Spain. Curator: Juan Ramón Barbancho.
• Ecos de la memoria. Fotolibros del presente. Museu de Belles Arts de Castelló. Curator: Marta martín Núñez.
• XXIII Encuentros de Arte Contemporáneo (EAC-2023). Museo de la Universidad de Alicante (MUA).
• Belfast Photo Festival. Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• NOMAD, Travelling Photobook Showcase around Asia of the Singapore International Photography Festival. Shanghai, China; Ningbo, China; Hong Kong; Seoul, South Korea; Daegu, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan.

• 2022
• SCAN Tarragona, International Photography Festival.
• Veinte miradas desde la autoedición, Revela’T Festival, Vilassar de Dalt, Barcelona. Curator: Mireia Alises.
• Exhibition of contemporary artist’s books at Le Plac’art Photo, Paris.
• Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2022, The Book Awards, Francia.
• EI Photobook Award 2022 – Encontros da Imagen, Braga, Portugal.
• Athens Photo Festival 2022.
• Singapore International Photography Festival 2022 (SIPF), Open Call Showcase 2022 Photobooks, Singapore (September).
• FOTO WIEN Festival, Photobook Exhibition, Vienna, Austria.

• 2021
• VI City of Móstoles Artist Book Award, Centro Cultural Villa de Móstoles, Spain.
• Les Rencontres de la Photographie D’Arles 2021, The Book Awards, France.
• Open Call del Festival PhotoBookWeek Aarhus 2021, Denmark.

• 2020
• X Pilar Citoler International Biennal Prize of Contemporary Photography. Cordoba.
• Azokartean, Bilbao.

• 2019
• The Best Photography Books of the Year – PHotoESPAÑA 2019 (Biblioteca Nacional de España, Madrid).

• 2018
• FIG Bilbao – Festival Internacional de Grabado y arte sobre papel, stand Fundación Ankaria. Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao.
• Exhibition Art//edina, Medina de Pomar. Curator: Javier González de Durana.
• Paisajes: de la plata al pixel. Group exhibition of BilbaoArte’s photography collection. Bilbao Arte, Bilbao.
• IX Pilar Citoler International Biennal Prize of Contemporary Photography. Cordoba.
• XVIII Concurso Encuentros de Arte Contemporáneo (EAC-2018), Instituto Alicantino de Cultura Juan Gil_Albert. Alicante.
• Bilbao Art District. Bilbao.

• 2017
• XX Sala El Brocense Plastic Arts Prize, Cáceres.
• Declinaciones. Una perspectiva contemporánea de la gráfica. Exposición con obras de la colección Bilbao Arte, en colaboración con el FIG – Festival internacional de Grabado y Arte sobre Papel 2017. Fundación Bilbao Arte Fundazioa, Bilbao.
• IPA Annual Best of Show Exhibition. (Splashlight Studios, New York. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Tokyo. Magazzini Fotografici, Milan.)
• Obra Abierta International Plastic Arts Award. Bancaria Caja de Extremadura Foundation, Plasencia.
• Infinito Interior. ENAIRE Foundation Photography Award. Instituto Cervantes, Madrid.

• 2015
• BOSTEKO 2015 (Arrigorriaga, Basauri, Leioa, Zornotza y Getxo.)
• Open workshops. Bilbao Arte Foundation, Bilbao.

• 2013
• ARTESHOP.

• 2012
• ARTESHOP.

• 2010
• Bienal Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo ULA-2010. Selection made by the curator Nilo Casáres. Embassy of Spain, Merida (Venezuela).
• Open workshops. Bilbao Arte Foundation, Bilbao.

• 2008
• The discreet charm of technology. Arts in Spain. Curated by Claudia Giannetti. MEIAC. Badajoz, España (June – August 2008). ZKM Center for Art and Media. Karlsruhe, Alemania (October 2008 – January 2009). Instituto Tomie Ohtake. São Paulo, Brasil (March – April 2009).

• 2007
• 12º Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin/Madrid. Círculo de Bellas Artes (Madrid).
• Sintopía(s) de la relación entre arte, ciencia y tecnología. Instituto Cervantes de Pekín y Nueva York.
• Visual 07. Mahadahonda (Madrid).
• Laus 07. Barcelona.
• Hipertexto 1.0: imagen, sonido y acción. 34º Feria del Libro de Córdoba, Junta deAndalucía, Delegación de Cultura.

• 2006
• BAC Festival!. Barcelona
• 12º Canarias Media Fest 2006. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• III Festival Internacional de Arte Electrónico 404, Rosario (Argentina)
• Orilla 06, III Muestra Internacional de Arte Digital, Santa Fé (Argentina)
• I Salón Internacional de Arte Digital. Julio/Agosto. Bogotá (Colombia)
• Pero, dime la verdad, curated by Beatriz Herráez. Bilbao.
• Metrópolis IV: plástica industrial, plástica urbana, Sestao.
• Patrimonio artístico de la UPV. Sala Boulevard, Donostia-San Sebastián.
• Premio Mobius Barcelona Multimedia. Montreal – Quebec, Canadá.

• 2004
• Ciber@rt 2004. Bilbao.
• File Festival. São Paulo, Brasil.

• 2003
• Intimidad desvelada y Alter Ego. Curated by Ana Urroz. Madrid.
• Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Pollença. Palma de Mallorca.

• 2002
• X Canariasmediafest, Festival Internacional de Vídeo y Multimedia de Canarias.
• Gure Artea.
• Cyberia 02, Marcelino Botín Foundation, Santander.
• ARCO’02, Madrid.
• Maquin@rte, Auditorio de Cáceres.

• 2001
• Arte y electricidad. Workshop organized by Arteleku and exhibited in various on-line and off-line media.
• Festival Plaza 01, Donostia. Net.art section curated by Laura Baigorri.
• Arte en Línea”, www.artenlinea.net, Barcelona, Mediateca Fundación La Caixa.
• Festival de creación audiovisual de Navarra. Pamplona.
• Generación 2001. Madrid, Sevilla, Valladolid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia.
• Artista invitado en la 14ª Exposición Audiovisual de la Facultad de Bellas Artes. Sala de exposiciones de la Fundación BBVA, Bilbao.

• 2000
• Hannover 2000. Muestra de net.art en el Pabellón de España de la Exposición Universal.
• ARCO’00. Madrid.
• Premio Mobius. Barcelona.
• Open workshops, Barcelona.

• 1999
• Net_condition International exhibition. Barcelona, Alemania, Austria, Japón.
• Vértigos: artes audiovisuales on-line/off-line. Madrid.
• Festival de creación audiovisual de Navarra. Pamplona.
• En el antiguo frontón han puesto un cibercafé. Vitoria.
• 1st_Medi@terra_festival” – Fournos. Athens. Grecia.
• Museo de Arte Moderno y Museo Nacional de Bogotá.

• 1998
• Festival de Vídeo de Navarra. Pamplona.

• 1997
• Ezkerraldea Plastika. Sestao, Portugalete, Abanto y Ciérvana-Abanto Zierbena, Muskiz, Santurtzi, Cruces/Gurutzeta.

• 1996
• Contacto a distancia. Arriola Kultur Aretoa, Elorrio.

• 1995
• Taller Ángel Bados y Txomin Badiola. Arteleku, Donostia-San Sebastián.
• Alumnos 5º de Bellas Artes. Aula de Cultura de Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa, Bilbao.

• 1994
• Gure Artea.

• 1992
• Bizkaiko Artea. Sala Archivo Foral de Bizkaia, Bilbao.

• 1991
• Bizkaiko Artea.Sala Rekalde, Bilbao.

Public Collections

Colección ENAIRE de Arte Contemporáneo
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Bellas Artes
Ayuntamiento de Móstoles
Gabriela Cendoya Bergareche Collection, San Telmo Museoa
De Pietri Artphilen Foundation, Lugano, Suiza
Fundación Ankaria
Diputación Provincial de Cáceres
Fundación Bilbao Arte Fundazioa
Caja Madrid
MEIAC, Museo Extremeño e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporáneo de Extremadura
Gobierno Vasco
Diputación Foral de Bizkaia
Universidad del País Vasco
Ayuntamiento de Muzkiz

Workshops, lectures and seminars

Aguirrezabala regularly teaches workshops and gives lectures on book creation at festivals and art centres such as Fundación Bilbao Arte 2022, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (Bilbao), Art Photo BCN Festival 2025 and 2026 (Barcelona), IED Kunsthal Bilbao 2026 (Bilbao), Guardo Town Council 2025 (Palencia), Sociedad Fotográfica Alavesa 2026 (Vitoria-Gasteiz), Black Kamera School of Photography 2026 (Bilbao), among others, as well as at forthcoming confirmed events, including the Chiscarte Festival in Pontevedra. He also regularly teaches these workshops on book creation at his studio in Bilbao.

Self-portrait with an English gas mask from 1944, 2015