My name is Matt, I came to Reus 4 years ago and immediately fell in love with this city. I admire its rich culture and dedication to preserve it, shown by its citizens during many regional events. One of the most spectacular one is the tradition of Castells - human towers. This 18th century performance still lives strongly in small communities and is being passed onto the new generations - clearly seen on the tops of those towers, as the final and the highest element is always a child. Those photos present the groups from Reus and El Vendrell - Xiquets de Reus and Nens del Vendrell.
Another, equally spectacular part of the Catalan culture, is Ball de diables - Dance of the devils, also called Correfoc - Fire runs. It´s a symbolical struggle between the good and the bad, usually performed at night for the culmination of a regional holiday, for example the Misericordia in Reus, presented in photos. This dance is mostly performed by children dressed in special protective costumes. The amount of the fireworks and their form is simply spectacular and can only be appreciated when seen in person.
In my work I limit myself to film, often just black and white. That helps me to plan better what I want to freeze in the frame and make every shot count. Being there since the capture, through the developing in my own bathroom, up to scanning and publishing the photos - that makes the whole experience simply more satisfying. Whenever there´s something going on in my city I try to be there to capture it.
More info: Instagram
