Laia Abril is a Spanish photographer and multiplatform storyteller whose work interrogates the social and political forces that regulate women’s bodies and lives. Based on extensive research and collaboration with activists and scholars, her projects move across photography, archival imagery, print, and installation, often building long-term narratives that resist simple polemic. Abril first gained notice for her rigorous, empathetic approach to complex feminist issues, establishing a practice that is as invested in historical documentation as in contemporary reportage.

Her distinctive visual language is characterised by an editorial precision and a refusal to sensationalise. Instead of graphic representations, she uses imagery, objects, found documents, and testimony to create layered environments that force viewers to confront the systemic nature of gender-based violence and control. Her work examines rape culture, mass hysteria, and the policing of abortion, connecting personal stories to broader structures of misogyny. This method sets her apart from more traditional documentary photographers; she treats the camera not as an objective recorder but as a tool to investigate invisible mechanisms of power.

Abril’s most recognised project, ‘On Abortion,’ is the first chapter of her ongoing series ‘A History of Misogyny.’ The work documents and conceptualises the dangers caused by the lack of legal, safe, and free access to abortion. Through photographs, testimonies, and archival material, she maps the physical and psychological consequences of restrictive abortion laws, drawing global connections. The project has been exhibited at institutions such as Foto Colectania, and an accompanying photobook was published to critical attention, marking a significant contribution to contemporary discourse on reproductive rights.

Beyond ‘On Abortion,’ Abril continues to develop other chapters of ‘A History of Misogyny,’ addressing related themes such as rape culture and mass hysteria. Her book-length publications and exhibitions have positioned her as a leading voice in a generation of photographers tackling feminist sociopolitical issues. Her work has been shown in museums and festivals worldwide, and she is also active in public conversations through talks and interviews. By insisting on the intersection of personal testimony and political context, she has expanded the vocabulary of socially engaged photography.

For photobook collectors, Abril’s projects represent important interventions in documentary publishing. Her books are designed to function as comprehensive visual essays, often combining numerous media to create an immersive argument. ‘On Abortion’ serves as a valuable entry point, offering a thought-provoking and visually rich examination of a subject with urgent contemporary relevance. While her work is not without its critical debates—some question the ethics of representing trauma through archival means—Abril’s sustained investigation invites viewers to reconsider how we picture systemic injustice and to understand photography as a space for both accountability and empathy.

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