Franco, Fernell

(Colombia 1942-2006)

In 1951, his family moved to Cali. There, he began working at the Arte Italia photography studio and, in 1968, joined the Nicholls Publicidad agency. In 1972, he became part of Cromos magazine in Bogotá, first as the director of the photography department and later as a photojournalist for the newspapers Occidente and El País of Cali, as well as for magazines such as Cromos and Diners, among others. In 1972, he held his first exhibition at the Ciudad Solar gallery in Cali, showcasing the Prostitutas series, which explored prostitution in Buenaventura. From then on, he developed various photographic series throughout his career, including Amarrados, Interiores, Billares, Demoliciones, and Retratos de Ciudad. In 1984, he received the National Photography Award at the First Havana Biennial in Cuba. He also worked as a still photographer for several films by Carlos Mayolo, among others.

Franco closely observed social violence in Colombia, which left a profound mark on his work. He captured scenes of brutality and violence, sex workers in brothels, and exploited laborers. Cinema had a significant influence on his photography, where the visual language is not explicit but suggestive, sometimes incorporating direct drawing on the surface using a pencil or an airbrush.