Journeys

Through photographs of older people, smartphone users, and solitary figures on Spain’s streets, the author considers the loneliness beneath the bustle of city life—and the ways technology, pets, faith, and human connection shape our inner lives.

By placing passers-by and urban graffiti in the same frame, I explore the history, expression, and challenges of regulating this marginal art form. Love it or hate it, graffiti has become part of the modern city.

Two unexpected marches cross my path on the streets of Madrid—one over Agenda 2030, the other led by trade unions. Through my camera, I record the colour, order and commotion of peaceful public expression, while reflecting on what such use of public space means.

Turning his lens on the hoardings, cranes, and workers found throughout Madrid and Barcelona, the author moves beyond the inconvenience they cause to consider Spain’s approach to construction, its workers, and its infrastructure-building tradition.

A stroll through Madrid’s El Retiro Park takes us past its lake and palaces, the love story of Sanmao and José, and a temporary art exhibition—a leisurely glimpse of the city’s culture within a former royal garden.

A walk down La Rambla leads into La Boqueria, where dazzling displays of ham, spices, seafood, fruit, and vegetables reveal how this “breadbasket of Europe” brings together food, art, and urban culture.

At daybreak, I set out for Madrid’s El Rastro flea market, hunting for treasures among thousands of stalls, secondhand wares, and colorful street characters while photographing the everyday bustle and distinctive personality of this centuries-old market.

Exploring Barcelona’s flea markets, from tourist-filled antique stalls to small neighbourhood fairs, and discovering another side of the city among second-hand goods, collectibles, and chance encounters.

At Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana, voices, guitars, handclaps, and stamping feet reverberate through a flamenco performance whose male and female dancers—powerful and graceful in equal measure—transform the impressions left by images on a screen.

A chance visit to Casa Amatller, next door to Casa Batlló, reveals the chocolate magnate’s art collection, passion for photography, and Gothic-inspired home—a quietly luxurious and wholly unexpected delight.