EVERYTHING THAT CHANGES

Vol IV "HOMELAND"

Year: 2024-Ongoing

Location: Guadarrama national park, MADRID (Spain)

HOMELAND is a photographic project born within the walls of our home, a sanctuary nestled in a small village in the Sierra de Guadarrama, just 40 kilometers from Madrid. For me, this place is much more than a house: it is where our lives intertwine with nature, where time flows at a different pace, and where we strive daily to find balance with our surroundings.

Home is more than just a physical dwelling; it is a space of intimacy and refuge. Beyond its architectural structure, the home is deeply tied to the feelings and moods that emerge from each individual's unique experiences. It represents care, belonging, and constancy, serving as the foundation for lives that feel secure. Yet for many, it remains a place of longing or memory, manifesting precisely in its absence.

For years, we dreamed of creating a project that not only reflects our connection to the landscape but also captures the essence of our daily life in this extraordinary place. HOMELAND is that dream realized. Our life on one hectare of land has taught us how to live in harmony with the earth, seeking greater self-sufficiency and making the most of its gifts. This space is much more than a home; it is a living laboratory of sustainability and creativity.

On our hectare, we cultivate a garden that not only feeds us but also connects us to the cycles of nature. We raise chickens that provide fresh eggs and fertilize the land. We work to close cycles: maximizing resources and minimizing waste. The water we use comes from several underground wells, and our access to energy and supplies is carefully managed, driving us to be mindful and creative with every decision. In this environment, scarcity becomes a source of introspection and possibilities.

HOMELAND aligns with imagining new horizons in the face of societal challenges. This project serves as an example of how artistic practices can offer alternative ways of inhabiting reality, generating regenerative impact and inspiring solutions to today’s challenges. Rooted in a self-sufficient lifestyle in harmony with the land, HOMELAND explores the relationship between art and sustainability, demonstrating how daily choices can become a tool for social transformation.

The central proposal of HOMELAND is to photographically document everything that happens within this unique space. This project will be constructed through portraits of people who visit us for various reasons and images capturing our daily life, the animals around us, the changing nature, the fruits of the land, our garden, and the cycles of the seasons. Inspired by my recent work Everything That Changes, this project will follow an introspective and conceptual approach. The photographs will adopt a poetic and symbolic tone, moving away from traditional documentary styles to offer a deeper and more emotional vision of alternative ways of living and caring for the planet.

Although the home inherently evokes a local bond, it is also deeply tied to human coexistence. This relationship is fluid: it can evoke feelings of isolation or connection. The light that filters through our windows, softened by the wood and stone of our house, envelops everything we do. These natural materials not only shelter and protect us but also intertwine with our identity and history. Every moment here—the life we live, the work we do, the small everyday gestures we celebrate—is shaped by the presence of nature and the simplicity of the essential.

This project also pays tribute to the people who visit us for various reasons. Like the light that floods our home, they become part of the emotional and human landscape we have woven over time. In contrast to other homes and non-domestic spaces they inhabit, our understanding of home unfolds its sociocritical potential, illustrating how domestic conditions profoundly shape the course of our lives.

HOMELAND transcends physical space: it embodies a state of mind, a way of life, and a deep sense of belonging. It is a tribute to the place that welcomes, inspires, and defines us. From this perspective, each of us looks out into the world, shaped by the complex interaction between our environments and experiences. HOMELAND is an invitation to imagine, through art and sustainability, other possible ways of inhabiting and transforming our reality.