Bizkaia: A visual chronicle of everyday life
Bizkaia: A visual chronicle of everyday life
During the 2024 holiday season, the book De Bizkaia de toda la vida (The Bizkaia we’ve Always Known), created by journalist Jon Uriarte and illustrator Tomás Ondarra, became a true publishing phenomenon. With its warm, relatable tone, the work captured the essence of Bizkaia through images, stories, and references that resonated deeply in thousands of homes. Far from indulging in empty nostalgia, it evoked a deep, shared, and vibrant sense of belonging.
That bond with readers called for something beyond the printed page. Thus, with the support of the Tourism Department of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the exhibition De Bizkaia de toda la vida was born — an accessible and engaging experience designed to be enjoyed in person by locals and visitors alike.
The exhibition premiered at the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC) during the 2025 Expovacaciones fair, where it offered a visual and sensory journey that inspired a shared reflection: What truly defines Bizkaia?
Following its debut at the BEC, the exhibition embraced a traveling format, staying true to the project’s spirit: to reach everyone. With that in mind, the show will be touring the regions of Bizkaia from 2025 to 2026, bringing the province’s history, identity, and traditions closer to its many communities.
More than a mere cultural initiative, De Bizkaia de toda la vida is a living tribute to collective memory; a window into the everyday life that has shaped the soul of Bizkaia. Jon Uriarte and Tomás Ondarra, who have enthusiastically supported the project´s expansion, sum up its spirit with a phrase featured in the book’s introduction — now part of the exhibit itself: “As wise it is to know what we taste, as it is to foresee what our eyes will consume. Remember, life grants us but three dawns — two arrive veiled in clouds. So savor this book, and may your day be bright.”
Bizkaia
