Matias Costa was born in Argentina in 1973, not long before the Videla dictatorship. At the age of four, he emigrated to Spain, which explains his love for both countries. When he was 18, he decided to become a journalist, but after completing his university studies, he moved toward photojournalism. Since 1993, his black and white photos have been published in El Pais, El Mundo, Figaro Magazine (Spain), Marie-Claire (Spain), Diario 16, Tiempo, Viajar, Matador Magazine, Contact Press Images (Spain) and Focus Magazine, among others, and have been exhibited in numerous collective and individual exhibitions in both Spain and France (including France’s Visa pour l’Image Festival). Since 1997, he has received many grants and awards. His photographic work on Rwanda and the Spanish railways was published in 1999. And since good news never comes alone, the day after he was awarded the Jean-Luc Lagardère Foundation grant he became a member of the Vu agency.

Achievements since winning the grant

In 2000, Matias devoted himself to his report on immigration, for which he received the top World Press Photo prize.

Between 2001 and 2002, he was awarded the World Press photo first prize for a special report on clandestine immigration in the Strait of Gibraltar, and participated in a publicity campaign in favour of the NGO Intervida.  He was also awarded a grant by Spain’s Fotopress Foundation. He exhibited Children of the Dump at the Moscow Biennial and produced special reports for Géo and Viajar on southern Spain and Cuba. He also collaborated on the book Eclats d’Enfance (Fragments of Childhood), published by Le Collectionneur.

In 2004, he participated in an exhibition held on Paris’ Champs-Elysées, Regards sur 10 Nouvelles Capitales Européennes (Perspectives on 10 New European Capitals).