The exhibition Luis Gasca, komikia eta zinema. Luis Gasca, cómic y cine (Luis Gasca, comic and cinema), curated by Asier Mensuro and Álvaro Pons, organised and produced by Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea with the collaboration of Donostia Kultura and participation of the San Sebastian International Film Festival, can be visited from tomorrow, September 8, at the Okendo Cultural Centre. The show pays tribute to the figure of Luis Gasca, through his library of documents related to the world of comics and which now belongs to the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea collections. In addition to being a collector and a cinema and comics scholar, Gasca was director of the San Sebastian Festival in 1977, as well as in the editions from 1981 to 1983.

The exhibition has two parts: one dedicated to his graphic and comic work with around 270 pieces (originals and reproductions) and the other connected to the cinema, with some 100 photographs by key artists and unique moments captured by several photographers, belonging both to the private collection of one of Luis Gasca’s daughters and to that of one of the curators, on loan for the occasion. The collection as a whole encompasses the widely varying expressions of the comic and its relationship with the cinema, literature, and creation in general. It includes comics, magazines, fanzines, original graphic work and comic studies. At the end of the day, a wide selection giving us an excellent idea of the past and present of the so-called ninth art.

This exhibition, open until November 8, has been produced by Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea by making small selection from its collections and combining it with the contributions of collectors and members of his family. This posthumous homage to Luis Gasca gives us a look at a tiny part of his collection, one of the most important in Europe and outstanding within the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea collections. 

The expanded agenda, which will include three meetings in dialogue format with experts from the field of comics and graphic creation, will take place in the Areto Nagusia (function room) at the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea. The meetings have been coordinated by Borja Crespo and will run in the months of September and October, thereby enriching the context recreated by the exhibition itself – with the presence of outstanding personalities related to field of creation.

• September 28 
  Laura Pérez + Darío Adanti
• October 5
  Fermín Solís + Paul Urquijo

The cartoonist Álvaro Martínez Bueno, recent recipient of the Eisner Award, has created an image for the occasion representing Luis Gasca and his relationship with collecting, the world of comics and cinema. In the illustrator’s words “with this piece I wanted to reflect the curious and adventurous spirit of Gasca, a pioneer in dissemination of 20th century popular culture who brought vast amounts of knowledge to Spain”.

All information related to the exhibition and to the expanded agenda, as well as an annex of photographic works only available online, can be accessed using the following kmk.gipuzkoa.eus/luisgasca/ 

In addition, the graphic material appearing in the exhibition, the posters and the work made by the graphic artist and comic creator Álvaro Martínez Bueno can be downloaded from the same URL.

kmk.gipuzkoa.eus/luisgasca/