The landscape we see today and that surrounds us is not only the reflection of a territory, but also of political decisions that, for decades, continue to shape its geography. 'Eroding Franco' is a visual reflection on the relationship between the legacy of Francoism and current desertification, a winning project of the V Joana Biarnés Grant for Young Photojournalists , which can be seen at the Pati Llimona Civic Center in Barcelona from next week until March. The Joana Biarnés Grant, created in 2019 by the Photographic Social Vision Foundation, is a recognition of the work of young photojournalists who seek to make social issues of great relevance visible.
In his work, photographer Jordi Jon (Barcelona, 1996) documents and uncovers the roots of a global environmental problem, with special emphasis on the context of the peninsula. Since the establishment of the so-called “economic miracle” in the mid-20th century, mass tourism, agro-industry and construction were the pillars of economic growth. All of these sectors, in addition to having fueled the country's economic expansion, have been key factors in the progressive desertification that the territory is suffering from. Jon, co-founder of MÓN, an organization dedicated to environmental journalism, and Explorer member and collaborator of National Geographic Spain, connects this past with our present, in which we have to face an increasingly serious environmental crisis, where lands that were once fertile are being progressively denatured, partly due to apathy and poor management of natural resources.
Jon's vision is also based on research into historical archives that help us understand how the effects of the plunder of nature during the Franco regime (1939-1975), with policies of excessive growth, are intertwined with current data on desertification. According to the Ministry of the Environment, 80% of the state's territory could be affected by this process by the end of the 21st century, a figure that confirms the magnitude of the problem. 'Eroding Franco' highlights a reality that directly challenges us: our relationship with the territory is also a relationship with our history. Climate change, with increasingly frequent episodes of fires and torrential rains, accentuates the crisis that already existed, but the basis of this crisis was established more than fifty years ago. “The regime's decisions not only affected the political and social sphere, but also shaped a country with little environmental awareness,” explains Jon, focusing on a legacy that is not limited to repression, but also contributed to a culture of environmental destruction.