About two dozen students are showcasing their photography in the Memorias Madrileñas exhibit now on display at Manresa Hall.
More than 150 photographs were submitted, but only 30 were chosen for the show. They offer a look into how students make sense of the place they’re living in right now.
At the show’s inauguration on Friday, Nov. 22, Professor Javier Sauras invited the photographers to briefly discuss their work. One by one, students stepped forward to explain the moments behind their images, including sports celebrations, neighborhood scenes, political protests, military parades and the city’s underground music culture.
“I submitted a picture of a double rainbow in the mountains of Madrid,” photography student Maya Straube said, smiling next to her photo.
“It reminds me of home because I’m from the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, and even though I love Madrid, moving is hard, and you still get homesick. For me, the photo was a reminder of hope and a promise for the future. I’m really grateful I captured it and that it’s up here.”
Maya’s parents joined her, both eager to speak on their daughter’s achievement.
“We’ve lived in Miami, North Carolina, New Zealand, Costa Rica and now here. Wherever you go in the world, you see a rainbow, it’s a promise,” Maya’s dad said. “Sometimes you’re sitting in complete darkness, and then a rainbow pops up and gives you inspiration. In her picture, the contrast, the dark side on the left and the light piercing through, that’s the promise humans need.”
Maya’s mom, Iris, wiped a tear from her eye as she said, “Change is hard, and her photo really captures her experience moving here. We thought we’d miss the mountains in Boone, but there’s goodness everywhere, and as a person of faith, I see it as a reminder that God’s promises follow you.”
Student Antonio Meschino submitted a photo of his best friend, Jordan, whom he referred to as his blood brother.
“I’m glad I got this opportunity because it was really on the spot, and I didn’t realize what I was submitting to at first,” Meschino said. “It allowed me to present one of the skill sets that I have in a more championed way, which I appreciate greatly.”
Diego Vega Cabezas, another student photographer, said, “I’m a big Real Madrid fan, and for me, the emotion when they arrive is just amazing, especially in big games. The cloud of smoke, the crowd going toward the bus, even the horses, that craziness and euphoria is exactly what I wanted to get in the picture.”
By the end of the exhibit, students were still walking slowly from photo to photo, pointing things out to their classmates and comparing experiences.
