Crack I, 2023
Martín Del Busto
Featured in Surface Tension, 2025
We admired Martín Del Busto because of his fusion of photography and metal to create tangible tension between image and surface. His playful experiments with printing, where ink slides and melts on uncoated paper, beautifully capture the fragility that Surface Tension is centred on. Martín’s work invites us to take a moment to notice how surfaces can be simultaneously delicate and powerful.
FLYSCH, Martín’s project on Bilbao’s metallurgical past, is a thoughtful exploration of place and process. Over two years, he photographed his surroundings from foundries to coastal cliffs and delved into stories from factory workers to marine biologists. From this inspiration, the cracks in the geological world reflect the cracks in our modern society. The work draws on the idea of melting, both in metal and in rock formations and how these forces shape landscapes and memories. It’s a poetic reflection on the material traces left behind by industry and nature.
Artist Bio
Martín Del Busto’s (Bilbao, 1999) practice extends beyond photography, transcending conventions and turning his pieces into unique works of experimentation. Del Busto seeks to explore techniques and mediums that enhance the textures he captures, ranging from the most industrial to the most organic. His practice has always been deeply influenced by this duality, which is particularly present in the history and geography of his hometown, Bilbao, a constant source of inspiration in his work. His time at Camberwell – University of the Arts London was a turning point in his career, allowing him to explore other media beyond the medium.
Del Busto unstrings his surroundings to create introspective work. In this way, the landscape seemingly the main subject—becomes a channel through which the artist explores his own individuality, transforming each piece into a conversation between the landscape and his personal development. In 2021, he launched his project FLYSCH, which marked a before-and-after in his career. With an expressionist approach, he aims to immerse the viewer in the details and fascinations of Basque geology. Using an uncoated paper printing technique, he achieves compositions that appear almost abstract while maintaining a foundation in figuratism. His goal is to challenge the realism in photography, seeking his compositions in color and texture and pushing the boundaries of the medium.
Among his most notable exhibitions are: El Verano at Matadero de Madrid FESTEEN 2014, GETXOARTE 2017, Salon Photofusion London 2017, Bauhaus 100 (2019), Spectrum at OXO Tower London (2023), FLYSCH at Romo Kultur Etxea (2023) and GURA at La Perrera Bilbao.