This picture was taken by my friend (and so far my photography mentor) Juan Posada, please, click here to see his work !

"El Souvenir" is a body of work, in which I made some souvenir-like T-shirts, postcards, posters and a mix fake vacation with real pictures of some destinations that people would not go for vacations due to the mainstream imaginarium as a result of the skewed picture by whoever.

The idea is to question reality by confusing people by using traditional souvenir graphic style in some souvenir products and fake vacation + real pictures containing the most popular reason why people would never go to these places mixed with real images that show the good things of that particular place; that way, when somebody sees you with a shirt of this of this work would think - "Oh you've been to The Bahamas ! ... Oh no ... you've been to Somalia !?!" and so, people will be encouraged to see the whole picture of that particular place.

I would like to thank Alba Cañellas for the help with this silkscreen printing

This will subvert the meaning of a normal holiday, which usually is all about joy and fun and will help us to see the whole picture instead of just focusing on what the media outlets want to show you, either if is good or bad advertisement, the message is always going to be manipulated according to one party's interest when the whole picture is not shown.

On the other hand, the world is is not binary, existing things are much more than the contrast of the bright side with the dark side. When we question reality we will be encourage to research and base our beliefs by facts. Seeing the reality of "everyday's life" in certain places, can give us at least an slightly idea of what their condition is all about, or at least, that can change our perception of those places. This is how we educate people -or at least we try-.

There are three spots from 2012 series: Somalia, Pipyat and Sinaloa; Taking into account that many people don't even know these places exist (they really don't), they blindly believe whatever is heard about them.

These places have something in common; those who know about their existence will associate them with their dark side ... For example, Somalia is related with pirates and famine, Pripyat is related with Chernobyl accident and Sinaloa is known for trafficking weapons, drugs, humans, etc, etc, etc... But who really knows the people in these places? Do they have first hand information about them or they only rely on whatever is shown in the media?

Now, due to the hot socio-political climate of our days, it is pertinent to add some new pieces of this work, new souvenirs are in the oven for your enjoyment in 2018 !!!

For example, Somalia is this and that ....

Unkown photographer ... No copyright infirdment intended.

Please, click here and take your time and check out the stunning photographic documentation of the fishing industry in Mogadishu by Stokly Baksh.