‘Formentera, one year after’, Javier Parejo’s photo tribute to islanders

cartell 2021 javi parejo 1The Formentera Department of Culture reports that Monday 15 March, exactly twelve months after emergency orders went into effect across Spain, Javier Parejo will pull the curtain back on Formentera, un any després (Formentera, one year after). The display of photos will be on view in the Centre Antoni Tur “Gabrielet” courtyard from 15 to 31 March, 10.00am to 2.00pm and 6.00pm to 8.00pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

As the photographer put it, “It’s a year since we masked up. A year of precious few embraces and of half-smiles. It’s been... sad”. Parejo seized on the one year mark to reach out to local government about collaborating on the exhibition, which he said was about “thanking the people of Formentera: it’s been a difficult situation, but you’ve hung in there”.

Lockdown and de-escalation
The exhibition comprises 24 photos taken between 14 March and 30 May 2020, days when Parejo hit the street, camera in hand, and attempted to capture the actions and reactions of islanders in the midst of the pandemic. The photographer says he was struck by the idea that “if there’s such thing as an ideal backdrop for a lockdown, it’s an island. And an island like Formentera in particular”.

Some of the scenes photographed are empty spaces, others are of islanders going about their daily business amid decidedly unusual times. “We see the lives of people whose awareness has grown and who have adapted. The people looking at the camera are giving thanks — to themselves and to others”, says Parejo.

The photographer’s message is one of all-encompassing gratitude: for the woman who sells bread, the one making masks in a garage, or the mother who can finally play football with her son. “We’re not out of the tunnel yet”, said Parejo, “but I wanted to offer this tribute for the effort everyone’s making”.

Parejo’s website offers an online tour of the exhibition, including extras that bring the total number of snapshots to 40. A photographer and local business owner, Parejo was born in Extremadura but has lived on Formentera since age four. Visitors to his website can also read his full bio and learn about past works.

11 March 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera