Female clothing in the photos of Eulalia Abaitua
March 3, 2026 June 28, 2026
The starting point for the exhibition From the Camera to the Needle is a selection of images from the collection of the Bilbao photographer Eulalia Abaitua (1853-1943) held by the Basque Museum in Bilbao.
On this occasion, the approach to the subject is based on looking at the clothing worn by working women in Greater Bilbao and the surrounding valleys. Through looking at the details of blouses, skirts, jackets and scarves from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, four models have been produced, varying according to use and context.
In addition to the photographs, raw materials, examples of workmanship and customs of the time have also been collected, demonstrating that the reuse and arrangements of that era are based on the same concepts of recycling and sustainability as today.
The pieces have been produced by the women in charge of making costumes for the dance groups Salbatzaile (Bilbao), Agintzari (Basauri) and Zubitxo (Lezo), using yarn and fabrics to encapsulate the wisdom that has been worked on for years and inherited from mothers and grandmothers.
Review and observation of these costumes and photographs aid learning and reflection. So that we do not lose the thread.
