Spain's Disconnected Generation Captured Through Lens
Magnum photographer Lúa Ribeira has unveiled a powerful visual exploration of Spain's alienated youth in her latest series, Agony in the Garden. The project, created between 2021 and 2023, presents young Spaniards in dystopian landscapes that reflect their profound feelings of disconnection from contemporary society.
Collaborative Photography Across Southern Spain
Ribeira worked extensively with young subjects across her native Spain, visiting Madrid, Málaga, Granada and Almería. Her immersive approach transformed the creative process into a joint venture between artist and subject. The photographer deliberately chose peripheral locations in southern Spanish cities, where the arid landscapes helped ground a project that otherwise refuses fixed geography.
"I worked in the peripheries of southern Spanish cities," Ribeira explained, noting how the barren terrain provided the perfect backdrop for her vision. The resulting images feel almost like scenes from a video game, with characters who appear both distinctly local and universally global in their alienation.
Biblical Inspiration Meets Contemporary Reality
The project's title draws from the biblical passage describing Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. Ribeira intentionally connects contemporary youth experiences to universal themes of suffering, betrayal and impending doom. Her work demonstrates significant inspiration from religious motifs, alongside influences from painting and cinema.
"My intention was to connect contemporary reality to more universal themes of suffering, betrayal and impending doom," the photographer stated. This approach creates a powerful dialogue between historical religious imagery and modern youth experiences.
Global Expressions of Digital Alienation
Ribeira found inspiration in how younger generations articulate themselves through expressions, images and gestures that are increasingly global and attuned to the alienation of our times. Clothing and gestures in the photographs often take cues from online worlds and personas, hinting at extremes of hedonism and nihilism prevalent in digital culture.
The photographer observed that "in a world marked by material excess, digital acceleration and overlapping financial, migratory and ecological crises, there are certain symbols and aesthetics that echo across the world." This global resonance makes her work particularly relevant to understanding contemporary youth experiences beyond Spanish borders.
Agony in the Garden has been published by Dalphine and forms part of the touring group show Close Enough: New Perspectives from 12 Women Photographers of Magnum, curated by Charlotte Cotton. The exhibition continues to bring Ribeira's powerful vision of Spanish youth alienation to international audiences.
