The ENAIRE Foundation presents the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award in Photography to Joan Fontcuberta

The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, and chairman of the ENAIRE Foundation, José Antonio Santano, announced today, Thursday, at the International Contemporary Art Fair (ARCO) in Madrid that the ENAIRE Foundation is presenting the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to the photographer, teacher, essayist, and art promoter Joan Fontcuberta. The announcement of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award capped the ceremony to present a commemorative sculpture to the winners of the 2024 Photography Awards.

Joan Fontcuberta is a Spanish artist and photographer born in 1955, known for his conceptual approach to photography. His work explores the relationship between image and fiction, questioning the truthfulness and authenticity of photographs. He often creates fictional narratives through manipulated images, challenging the viewer's perception of reality. In addition to his work as a photographer, Fontcuberta is a writer and has taught at various institutions. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world. He was awarded the National Photography Prize in 1998 and the National Essay Prize in 2011.

[Family photo of ENAIRE Foundation in ARCO]

2024 ENAIRE Foundation Photography Awards Ceremony

The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility and chairman of the ENAIRE Foundation, José Antonio Santano, presented the winners of the 2024 Photography Awards with the sculpture ‘Floración Centrífuga’, a limited edition created by José Cobo (Santander) to mark the 30th anniversary of the ENAIRE Foundation, and that draws its inspiration from art and aviation — the two core purposes of the ENAIRE Foundation.

The winner of the Photography 2024 award was Javier Riera for his work ‘LG NL’. The Second Prize was awarded jointly to Beatriz Ruibal for ‘Olivo'Olea europaea’ and Patrik Grijalvo for ‘MAAT Lisboa,Lisboa, fotografía sobre cristal’. The Third Prize went to Greta Alfaro for ‘La villa de los misterios’.

The sculpture was also presented to the Special Mention winner at PHotoESPAÑA 2024, Amaya Hernández Sigüenza, for her photograph ‘El mercado de Olavide’ (Olavide's Market), from the project ‘Memoria de un espacio’ (Memory of a Space); and to the Special Mention winners of the ENAIRE Foundation, Itzal García, for her "Plastic Food" project on environmental protection and the need to reduce consumption; Andrea Leria for her projects ‘Con fe y sacrificio’ (With faith and sacrifice), on the historical memory of many women who saw their freedom restricted during the dictatorship, and ‘Ella Poema’ (She Poem), which provides an insight into Africa from the perspective of women.

It is worth noting that a total of 2,069 photographic proposals by 764 candidates (358 women and 406 men) from 18 nationalities were submitted to the ENAIRE Foundation's 2024 Photography Award.

At the awards ceremony, José Antonio Santano emphasised the need to showcase the work and talent of women artists, who have been silenced and marginalised for centuries, and stated that "their recognition should not only be the responsibility of public administrations, but also of all entities linked to the world of art that believe in equal rights as a pillar and condition for social progress and democracy".

For the managing director of the ENAIRE Foundation, Margarita Asuar, “the ENAIRE Foundation Photography Awards, which have been held since 2005, have become a diverse and comprehensive showcase of the Spanish photographic scene and a significant award for boosting careers in the art of photography, supported by the Foundation’s partnership with PHotoESPAÑA”.  

[Joan Fontcuberta, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, with the Secretary of State José Antonio Santano on the left and Margarita Asuar (ENAIRE Foundation).]

About ENAIRE Foundation

Is a cultural institution of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility that, in addition to managing, preserving and exhibiting the ENAIRE Collection of Contemporary Art, engages in a comprehensive annual programme of activities that focus on aeronautical art and culture. Notably, it is one of the institutions that currently provides the most support to photography through its annual prizes - which have become a benchmark for professional photographers - and by hosting exhibits.

It is the only foundation in Spain that combines the two seemingly disparate themes of art and aeronautical culture, bringing them together by undertaking a programme of activities that promote the study, research, knowledge and dissemination of aeronautical culture, integrating history and modernity to raise awareness of the world of aviation in our country.

The Naves de Gamazo are the first permanent home of the ENAIRE Collection of Contemporary Art, an example of collaboration between government agencies that was made possible thanks to the partnership and joint efforts of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the Government of Cantabria, through the Office for Culture, Tourism and Sport, and the Port Authority of Santander, which share the operating expenses of the centre in order to ensure the present and future viability of this cultural project.

ENAIRE Foundation is implementing digital museum resources to boost the democratisation of art and make it accessible from anywhere in the world. These new museum resources are now available on the Foundation's website.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.

ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator for four years in a row. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.