You can find Alba Yruela’s hometown, the historic site of Empordanet, tucked between the mountains and the sun-drenched coast of Catalonia. Now based in Barcelona, shooting portrait work, still life and fashion editorials, the photographer traces the origins of her craft back to her earlier days, and the desire to hold onto the beauty of the nature around her. “The spectrum of colours, from the green forest to the ochre-red tones of the soil, to the intense blue of the sea horizon, really makes you appreciate the richness of the land,” she says.
This enduring appreciation for the natural environment is evident throughout Diaris 2009-2019, Alba’s latest project, a 400-page collection of personal images that illustrate the photographer’s life in that period of time. Pictures of bright flowers, sprawling plains and emerald green pools of water are interspersed between half-naked lovers and giggling friends. “I photograph the light and the beauty that surrounds me,” Alba says. “I’m driven by situations where something captivates me. I love the small details in everyday life, and I aim to highlight the beauty I see in them through my images.”
This book documents 10 whole years of your life. Does it feel strange to publish something so intimate?
Not really! I’ve shared photos of my most intimate moments since the beginning of my practice. Once I discovered that I could share my feelings through my images, I haven’t stopped doing so.
Tell me about some of the particular people and places in this book.
Most of the people that appear in the book are still close to me, though there are some who have taken different paths. I lost contact with them, but it makes me happy to be able to revive them and the friendship we had back then through the photographs.
Which photographers or image-makers do you look up to? Who and why?
I admire lots of photographers and image-makers, but to point out some, I would say that seeing Lina Scheynius’ work early on in my practice was very formative. It made me think to look more closely at what was around me. I also love Charlie Engman’s work, especially the project he recently published, titled ‘MOM’ — it blew my mind.
When people look at your work, what would you like them to take away from it?
I want them to feel, or even live the image. I’ve had stunning feedback from people I don’t even know who have reached out to me to express how much they were moved by the book. I gave a little talk the other day, and one girl came up to me afterwards and told me she cried while going through the pages. To have such an influence on people through my work is overwhelming, but it’s also something like a dream for me.
How does it feel for you to look at some of the earlier years of this photobook?
I am not usually given to nostalgia. Looking back to the earlier years mostly just makes me proud of myself for having made the decision to take photos, and sticking to it. But I do love to look at the book because it makes me remember moments that, without the images, would probably now be lost.
Tell me about your upcoming projects. Do they feature similar motifs to Diaris 2009-2019, or are you looking to do something a bit different?
My next upcoming project is a newspaper zine publication in collaboration with the artist Berta Blanca T-Ivanow and the poet Carine Valette. I documented Berta’s work during my visits to her studio throughout the past year. We’ll also be releasing an audiovisual piece I put together from those encounters.
Creating an archive of specific moments has always fascinated me. After years of archiving my images, I think that the most important thread running through them is the theme of time.
Credits
All images courtesy Alba Yruela
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