El Poblenou beaches stand as an unmistakable symbol of 21st century Barcelona. Few of us can imagine that just over forty years ago this landscape did not exist. Its reconquest reshaped not only the physical coastline but also the city's social and leisure practices. Today, these beaches bring together locals and visitors of all ages as a kaleidoscopic reflection of the city's Mediterranean soul - one of leisure, sport, cultural exchange, connection and conviviality. Along the shore you will find skaters, surfers, sailors, dancers, and swimmers all year round, a vibrant community co-existing with workers who maintain the space and others that briefly escape their daily obligations. Here cultures merge, unified by the simple pleasures of sun, sand, and sea.
This project also acknowledges the contemporary challenges of the city and El Poblenou neighborhood, including tourist massification and social imbalance. The activities and characters captured are as diverse as the perspectives of the photographers involved. Some images emerge from the curiosity and admiration of those arriving from elsewhere, while others are shaped by local sensitivity, often carrying a quiet sense of protective pride.
During weeks of fieldwork, understanding life at the beach required us to belong to it as participants and observers. In doing so, we became witnesses of the passage of time, held captivated by the ever-present sea, always the sea.
El mar, sempre el mar is a physical and online installation conceived and produced for the Can Framis Museum by the students of the Elisava Master in Photography and Design 2025-2026, in collaboration with Vila Casas Foundation.