Josep Echaburu – Life Center
Francisco and Rafaela
Nursing homes are probably the last home for a person, the last shelter, the last housing. Hence these centers are easily confused with waiting rooms, with caves of sorrow, with premises of sadness. Many reports about nursing homes either focus on this aspect or show abuse or negligence cases towards the elderly.
Althought it may be less advertised, there is another reality that revolves around the life created in these nursing homes, the new friends and romances that arise, the cards or dominoes games, the conversations among the elderly, the hugs given or tears shed among mates, the stories that each one of them keeps in their memories, the desire to be and share.
It is a view of happiness, a snapshot of hope, the focusing of all the life generated in a nursing home for the elderly.
Carlos Lopez Almunía,
Sociologist
Aniceta
Ana and Caridad
Rosa
Carlos and Andrea
Luis
Nati
Josefina
Josep Echaburu was born in Barcelona in 1967, where he currently lives and works. A projection of the above project “Life Center” took place at the International Photography Festival: Les Rencontres d’Arles 2010, and during the month of photography at BraÇo Da Prata (Lisbon), 2011.He was selected as one of the ten finalist for the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2010. More images, info and other interesting projects on Josep Echaburu’s website.
“Ephemeral” and “Zero Sum” are really interesting and most powerful and – imho – the best works from this author. “Life Center” is also very nice and graphic, though, as in the rest of the series, the sense of rigorous staging is overwhelming.