Ricky Dávila

Ricky Dávila was born in Bilbao in 1964.   After receiving a degree in Biology from the Universidad de Pais Vasco, Dávila traveled to New York in 1988 where he studied photography at the International Center of Photography.  In 1991 he returned to Spain and began working as a contract photographer for the newspaper EL SOL.

In 1992 and 1993 Davila was a member of COVER photo agency and during this time received the Fotogranprix 93 award and the 2nd prize at World Press Photo for a story he did in Cuba "Herederos de Chernobil".   In 1994 he received the Ortega y Gasset prize for the same body of work.

In 1994 and 1995 Davila worked as the photo editor for EGM magazine and collaborated as a photographer for El Pais weekly magazine and for the agency Contact Press Images.  

In 1995 he received the Fotopress 95 award for his work in Ireland "Esclavos del Gran Sol".   That same year he completed a body of work about a Bolivian jail "Cochabamba, Bajo el Peso de la Ley 1008" for which he received the 2nd prize of Best American Picture of the Year in the United States.   He participated in the I World Press Photo Master Class in Rotterdam for the 10most notable international photographers under 30.

Dávila works as a freelance photographer dividing his time between editorial assignments and his personal work.   He also co-directs a contemporary photography magazine SUBMERSIA.  

Dávila has exhibited his work nationally and internationally in the Caixa Galicia, the Reina Sofia Museum, the Bienal de Venecia and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila.   He has three books published:   Photobolsillo:   Ricky Dávila;   Retratos (Gran Sol, 2000); and Manila (Gran Sol 2005) This last book won him the PhotoEspaña 2005 award for best book of the year and is accompanied by an exhibition.

To see his work:
www.photogaleria.com