Vora Riu, 1998
Some time ago, I found a photo, by an unknown photographer, of my grandparents walking across one of the most important bridges in Alcoy. Soon after that, I investigated and discovered that in the 1940’s, it was common for sweethearts to be photographed on this bridge. Vora Riu was born from the feelings I experienced when I first saw this photograph: it seemed to me that the photo was familiar and represented something from my heart; but above all, I was trapped by the way a magic instant of life trespassed a time bridge… Read more
Like this photograph, my bridges are not only about places, but also about time. These bridges form part of both a physical and temporal landscape, to which I feel inescapably attached. I am interested in narrating their life and role in society, the atmosphere that surrounds them and the transformation of their significance throughout the years; how novelty gives way to the quotidian, and how forgetfulness leads to their abandonment..
My bridges are enduring symbols: by making time stand still, I look for a way to reflect the “moment” they are at, and how it coincides with my present.
Vora Riu (in Catalan, close to the river). Elena chose to photograph bridges in her home town Alcoy for this project. Her work was selected for “Descubrimientos (Discoveries) PhotoEspaña programme” in its 5th edition in 2003. Vora Riu was shown in a solo exhibition at the UNESCO Gallery, Alcoy. The UNESCO club, founded in 1965, edited a catalogue for Vora Riu, published in 2007.