Against the backdrop of a scrubby wasteland dotted with high-rise buildings, a young woman in a brilliant turquoise coat stands out like a beacon of color amid the washed-out grays and browns of peripheral Málaga. This striking figure is Pomelo, a young artist whom renowned photographer Lúa Ribeira discovered in 2021 while documenting Spain's rapidly growing trap music scene.
Ribeira first encountered Pomelo through a video clip that captured her attention immediately. "I came across a clip of her singing a song she had written, which I instantly loved," Ribeira recalls. The photographer later arranged to meet with Pomelo and one of her friends, photographing them both in an open clearing outside the city center that had once housed oil storage tanks.
The resulting image appears in Ribeira's compelling new photobook titled "Agony in the Garden," showcasing her distinctive approach to documentary photography. Ribeira, a distinguished Magnum photographer, has built her reputation on her deep interest in youth movements and marginalized communities, as well as her collaborative relationship with her subjects. While she didn't stage this particular photograph, she employed what she describes as a "theatrical approach" designed to reveal deeper truths about her subjects.
The photograph contains layers of symbolism that speak to both ancient mythology and contemporary realities. The handful of coins that Pomelo happened to have in her pocket carries mythical significance, reminding Ribeira of Charon, the ferryman from Greek mythology who demanded payment from souls crossing into the underworld. Yet these same coins also represent the harsh economic realities facing many young people of Pomelo's generation in modern Spain.
What particularly struck Ribeira was the natural ease with which Pomelo and her peers interacted with her camera. "They use photography daily as a form of self-expression in social media and for themselves," she explains. "While there's certainly a performative aspect to it, there's also a natural fluidity between them and the images." This comfort level with being photographed reflects a generation that has grown up documenting their lives through digital imagery.
The power of this photograph and others featured in "Agony in the Garden" lies in their compelling blend of ancient and contemporary elements. Ribeira's work weaves together grand narratives, reflected in the book's biblical title and rich store of mythical references throughout. The locations she selected across southern Spain possess an timeless, almost ancient quality, despite being surrounded by modern apartment blocks and expanses of concrete.
Yet it's the subjects themselves who create the most striking contrast in Ribeira's work. Both in their personal appearance and in the confident way they pose for the camera, these young people are unmistakably products of the 21st century. Their style, attitude, and presence could belong to no other era but our own, creating a fascinating tension between the mythological themes and contemporary reality that runs throughout Ribeira's photographic series.
