An inner journey – Photographs of a social and cultural phenomenon.

Photographs capture moments in people’s lives, and when those moments or phenomena stem from social experiences and form part of a community’s culture, that photograph becomes a documentary.

Although Holy Week is long past, I recently visited a magnificent exhibition on this very theme. But as I always say, beyond the religious theme, these photographs tell us about the traditions and customs of a society. That is why, as I walked through the corridors of La Malagueta bullring, I was thinking about precisely that: those traditions that take shape, for example, in villages and which have their own distinctive characteristics that set them apart from large cities. The way of life of those people is completely different.

This is how the photographer Txema Rodríguez has travelled to various places in the interior of the province of Málaga in search of these experiences and traditions, which take on unique forms and details in each location.

Each photograph is a work of art; if you look at them closely, you’ll see that the photographer has managed to capture special moments, gestures and scenes from Holy Week, and, moreover, when you look at them, they convey what people were feeling at the very moment the photograph was taken.

Txema has travelled to various places, so the exhibition is astonishing both in the sheer number of photographs and, of course, in their quality. It was well worth taking a photo of each one and exploring every single town featured in this extraordinary exhibition. Not all photographs are art, but in this case, every single one was. So I’ll divide the towns into two parts, because they truly deserve it.

In total, Txema has visited seven towns, seeking out what makes Holy Week unique in each of these places. Thus, you can see processions, music and prayers, each with their own distinct character. I think that is why the exhibition is called ‘An Inner Journey’.

As I always mention, each exhibition has information written on the walls, a brief description of each of the towns – which I will also include here.

The first village is Cómpeta, where Palm Sunday is a very joyful, sunny day. The preparations take place at the San Antón chapel, and then what they call ‘La borriquita’ is carried through the narrow, whitewashed streets, with all the locals watching intently.

What I liked most about this village are the very narrow streets and how, despite this, all the residents come out of their homes to join the processions with such joy; you can see it clearly on their faces.

The second village is called Casarabolena, and the writings describe how the Church of Santiago is transformed into an Avant garde setting from whose darkness emerges something difficult to put into words.

One experiences a minimalist passion, something eerie verging on the theatrical and inexplicable, which seems more like a production on the grandest stages than a humble, simple mountain village.

The next village is Archidona, where every Holy Wednesday an angel walks through the streets accompanied by the bell ringers and the sound of the brass instruments each carries. The fact that an angel passes through the streets struck me as deeply meaningful, conveying a powerful message.

This is followed by a hymn to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and when night falls, every villager takes their place to watch the thrones pass by in procession. The whole event is experienced with great reverence and emotion.

The last town I’d like to mention today is Coín, where the church of San Juan Bautista has an impressive flight of steps that defies all logic for a procession. The square below has been transformed into an amphitheatre, and it is there that the townspeople watch in silence as the events unfold.

Numerous and intricate manoeuvres are carried out in that square, requiring strength and skill to carry and move the thrones of the Nazarene and Our Lady of Sorrows in a grand procession down to our world, the earthly realm. If you look at the staircases, you’ll see what I mean, it really is impressive.

All the photographs are absolutely marvellous, taken from just the right angles, and they also have the added touch of being in black and white, which, as I always say, has that style and the effect of transporting us to another time.

Thank you very much for joining me today; I wish you all a very happy Sunday. See you soon.
Amonet.

All photographs are my own.