'Melancholia'
A woman rests on a worn chair in the cool outside her house; another one of her, facing her, does it on a rusty wheelbarrow. One, dressed in mourning and with her hands almost in a prayer position; the other, showing off a colorful dress and a polka-dot apron, grabs her lip with what could appear to be a gesture of concern. That's how it is 'Melancholia', a photograph to make everyone aware . Or, at least, a photograph for stir and move about what happens a few kilometers from the cities in which we live.
According to data from the National Statistics Institute, up to 26 provinces have seen their population decrease from 2017 to 2018.
Nevertheless, Balearic Islands, Madrid and Santa Cruz de Tenerife , as recipients of these migrations, have seen their population increase. Just one fact to demonstrate this polarization: since 1975, Soria has reduced its population by more than one 23% ; nevertheless, Madrid has seen how its register has grown by 73%.
The call 'Empty Spain' It is an undeniable reality as well as its consequences: the depopulation of entire villages , elimination of primary services and lack of infrastructure lack of transportation … Y an increasingly aging population surrounded by silence.
PhotoRural It has thirteen editions as a platform for visibility, awareness and also denunciation. Orchestrated by the Rural Studies Foundation of UPA Y Eumedia, S.A. ., the Interfood Forum and the State Agricultural Insurance Entity ( IN THAT ), from the organization point out: “We are looking for an image that gives an original and inspiring vision of the rural world, but also realistic. FotoRural tries to reward images that break the many clichés that, unfortunately, the towns and their inhabitants carry”.
This year, with more than a thousand participants, the winning photograph is that of the photographer from Corella (Navarra) Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal . These two ladies photographed at siesta time in the town of **Ventas Blancas (La Rioja)** transmit affection and also a certain anguish; but above all, melancholia (feeling used by Blanco to name the photograph) .
Eduardo captured this 'Melancolía' while he toured the towns of the Biosphere Reserve of the Valleys of Leza, Jubera, Cidacos and Alhama : “In them I find very interesting corners outside the most typical and tourist places. In addition, it is relatively close to me and my family has been living there for a few years, so I stop by from time to time. As is common in some towns, sometimes you don't see anyone on the street . I don't remember seeing anyone else that afternoon”, he tells traveler.es.
But he saw them, and although he decided not to speak so as not to bother them , he did want to capture the moment: “I stopped for a while to take a photo of the church and I found this curious picture. Since they were calm in their nap, I didn't want to disturb them. , but I do like to chat with the people of the towns I visit. It is better to go with time the number of anecdotes they tell me they are usually very enriching and well worth listening to calmly”.
THE SEMPITERNAL POSTER OF 'FOR SALE'
Talking with the residents of these towns is keep the oral history of places (some of them doomed to disappear) . Photograph these moments is to generate memories and also awaken own reminiscences : “It is a photograph that transmits a lot of affection to me. It reminds me of my grandmother when she would go out with her friends”, comments Eduardo.
'The plot'
The magic of 'Melancolía' is precisely that, the ability to touch and remember stories and personal moments and to see in the two protagonists their own stories. “ It seems that in some towns any past time was better, but I hope that this can be reversed, at least with some towns ”, concludes Eduardo. Perhaps the same thing happens with **'The plot', by María del Valle Delgado (second winner) ** which, in black and white, shows a cow looking at the camera in a deserted stone area in front of a door that reads ' For Sale'.
These photographs create a story about nature, the countryside and the silence of the places that, little by little, are emptied in favor of overcrowded cities. Maybe these pictures will help to remember, raise awareness and also to provide a pill of energy and enthusiasm to protect the vast and beautiful rural . That seems to shout the protagonist of the photograph 'Water! Give me strength to live!’ by Natalia Langa Lomba (the third prize winning photograph) .
'Water! Give me strength to live!’
“On the one hand, we are suffering from depopulation, but on the other, tendencies to return to the natural and rural are resurfacing. Social networks have taken longer to reach the rural world, but they are penetrating with great force, despite the coverage problems. Necessary a real change of concept of the whole society with respect to the rural world. To fight against depopulation and the demographic challenge, there are no magic formulas, but The problem needs to be tackled from many angles. Politics and politicians have a lot to say, as well as companies and social organizations. We must all work intensely with the aim of raising awareness throughout society that without people in the villages we could not live”, they comment from the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA), organizational part of the FotoRural contest.
Because there should be no fight between the asphalt and the dirt: there should be an awareness that the field, in itself, is not the problem . It is a great resource (the resource) and, perhaps, the solution.