Black and White

State of Independence II

6 Comments

A second set of film images of the independence movement protests, this time taken outside of the Universidad de Barcelona. This event was very carefully orchestrated to try to portray Catalunya as if it was an oppressed nation under the control of a distant dictatorship in Madrid. Carnations were distributed as a deliberate reference to the 1975 Carnation Revolution in Portugal. The protest group also openly arranged to print and distribute ballot papers for the planned illegal referendum, openly challenging the Guardia Civil’s confiscation of ballot materials in the last week. Here […]

Read More →

Black and White

State of Independence I

2 Comments

A short set of film photographs taken at various demonstrations and protest points in Barcelona over the last week. These are the result of a proposed “independence” referendum being pushed through by the regional parliament against the wishes of the central government in Madrid. The result is a political disaster, creating ever deeper and more dangerous divides both internally in Catalunya and externally with Spain. So far the protests have largely been very peaceful, typically involving a few tens of thousands of people from diverse backgrounds. While there has been […]

Read More →

Architecture

Torre Glòries, Catalan Independence and the European Medicines Agency

3 Comments

One of the consequences of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union is that it will no longer maintain several key European agencies that are currently located in London. A bidding process has started where cities throughout Europe campaign to host the relocated agencies, with the last nominations on the 31st July and the final decision taken in November 2017. Barcelona is bidding to host the displaced European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the iconic Torre Glòries – a radical change from its current location in Canary Wharf for the approximately […]

Read More →

Journalism

#VolemAcollir: Massive Protests in Support of Refugees in Catalunya

4 Comments

A set of images from #VolemAcollir – an immense protest organised in Barcelona in support of refugees. The main slogan “Prou excuses. Acollim ara” can be translated as “Enough excuses. We welcome now”. This reflects concern that the central Spanish government is not fulfilling its commitments to settling refugees, and also a recent call for Catalunya to provide even more direct support. After enduring months of watching the US and the UK slide into a mire of hard-rightwing xenophobia it is incredibly uplifting to see people here in Catalunya marching in support of […]

Read More →

Photography

Pi d’en Xandri

1 Comment

The Pi d’en Xandri, on the edge of the Collserola. The pine tree is more than 240 years old, and has become an important symbol associated with the nearby town of Sant Cugat del Vallès. Leica M7 with 21mm SEM fitted with a dark red filter and shot on Ilford Delta 100.

Read More →

Nature

Week 12 :: Espais Naturals

Espais Naturals, Delta de LLobregat, Barcelona
1 Comment

A narrative set of photographs taken on a walk at the Espais Natural along the Llobregat river between Cornellà and El Prat. The green space is very much an afterthought from the planning authorities – it is essentially what is left over after carving out several large motorways, railways, power line systems and the farmland that somehow still manages to survive in this area at the edge of Barcelona. The river is flanked by large artificial embankments (levees) which contain the water when there is heavy rain. There are large areas […]

Read More →

Journalism

La Diada

La Diada and the Via Catalana
3 Comments

The 11th of September is the National Day of Catalunya – or more commonly just “La Diada”. Precisely three hundred years ago Catalunya lost the Siege of Barcelona ending the Spanish war of Succession and effectively establishing the basis of what has become modern Spain. And so perhaps unsurprisingly this regional day of holiday has become a focus for the Catalan independence movement. This year, the movement has become more powerful than ever as the region prepares for a vote on independence from Spain on the 9th of November. As the slogans and […]

Read More →

Photography

Persistence

Far de Cala Nans (unmanned lighthouse).
Leave a Comment

A set of photographs from Cap de Creus, from a rather stormy weekend. The park is interesting in that the geography and geology mean that it has been largely spared from the industrial tourism that has decimated the character of the Costa Brava. Unfortunately, even here the only areas that are protected are those that would be unfeasibly difficult to construct on, and there are large areas currently under development. Destructive exploitation of the country seems to be a recently adopted cultural feature in Spain – something not helped by […]

Read More →

Travel

La Sagrada Família

1 Comment

          Some snapshots taken from inside of La Sagrada Família during the Mercé, Barcelona. Aside from the wonderful architecture, the overall impression of the church is dominated by how bright it is. In part, this is because many of the windows still lack the final installation of stained glass. But also this is because of the extremely white cement structures which make a great canvas for the light. Some more images – this time in colour – can be found at 500px.

Read More →

Journalism

Independence

1 Comment

  September the 11th is the Diada Nacional de Catalunya – the national day of Catalunya. There is a strong push for complete separation from Spain, to create a new member state of the EU. There is a perfect storm brewing. Firstly, there is the ongoing financial crisis that means the economically prosperous Catalan region sees itself as being unjustifiably forced to subsidise the rest of the Spain. More than anything, economics (tax rises, salary cuts, lost savings and unemployment) fuels dissent. Secondly, there is the emergence of Spanish right-wing nationalism in […]

Read More →