Artist Statement
The images of Country Fictions were made in different rural areas and scarcely populated regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

As several close friends began to think about moving to the country, I was confronted with the idea of leaving the city myself and starting a new life closer to nature. In Country Fictions, reality and my imagination come together to deal with the emotions brought about by the idea of taking that step. This photographs are the visual expression of an inner conflict that has to do with “wanting to believe” in a better, simpler life.

The illusion of escaping from contemporary society, the myths and hopes built around nature come together with the strangeness and the nostalgic look at a life that I might never live.

 

 

Juan Aballe started working in the darkroom while studying chemistry at the universities of Madrid and Berlin. After graduating as a chemist, he decided to fully devote himself to photography and visual media.

He later studied at the school of the International Center of Photography (NYC), and obtained his Master in Photography at the EFTI school (Madrid).

His work has been exhibited internationally and he has been awarded grants from institutions such as the Spanish Ministry of Culture, EFTI school or Fundación Botín.