During the first half of 2022, I took part in Misión Región, a collaborative project in which 17 women photographers and 16 men photographers travelled across the Community of Madrid to create a comprehensive photographic archive of the region’s landscape from a heritage perspective. The project defined 199 areas—178 municipalities and the 21 districts of the city of Madrid—to ensure balanced coverage of the entire territory. Each area was documented through ten photographs, resulting in a collection of 1,990 images that became part of the Regional Archive of the Community of Madrid, enriching the region’s visual heritage.
Misión Región was an unprecedented initiative, not only because of the number of participating photographers, but also because of its approach. Rather than focusing solely on geography or aesthetics, the project embraced a contemporary understanding of landscape as a record of social customs, economic structures, traditions, uneven urban development and rural depopulation.
The project was art directed by Paco Gómez, with scientific direction by Mónica Luengo and technical direction by David Rejano.
Part of this work was presented in the exhibition REGIÓN. Landscape, Photography and Heritage at the El Águila Cultural Centre, from 8 February to 7 May 2023. The exhibition offered a unique journey through the Community of Madrid, exploring the ways in which we inhabit, transform and interpret our surroundings. It featured a selection of 199 photographs—one from each municipality and district—while the complete archive could be consulted within the exhibition space, providing a comprehensive overview of Madrid’s cultural landscape.
Alongside the photographic project, the documentary Misión Región, directed by Juan Rayos during the fieldwork, presents first-hand accounts from several of the participating photographers. The accompanying exhibition catalogue brings together all the photographs included in the exhibition, along with essays by the curatorial team: Paco Gómez, Mónica Luengo and David Rejano.
