Matavenero is a remote ecovillage high up in the isolated mountainous region of North West Spain. Since 1989 the village has been populated by an international mix of people who want to live simply in harmony with nature. The village is hidden behind a remote forest in Spain – it is only reachable by foot via a meandering mountain trail, marked only by rainbow signs. The 60 people living in the community do so completely off-grid – they produce their own food, get rid of their own waste and have almost completely excluded money from their economy.
«In spring 2015 I ventured to Matavenero to document the lives of its inhabitants. When I heard about Matavenero and their independent lifestyle, I was hooked immediately. They turn away from the way of modern life, based on efficiency and consumption, to live according to their beliefs. They built their own village in the middle of nowhere and are dependent only from their own gardens. I was extremely curious to see how they live, who they are, what they do, and why they abandoned their old life. When I arrived, I was invited to enter one of their houses and I got served with a fresh cup of tea and chestnuts. Everybody’s welcome to visit the village for a couple of days, as long as you respect their vision and help out with communal tasks. Though I remember a major culture shock in the beginning. I don’t know why, I guess it has to do with the strong personalities of most inhabitants.
You feel kind of boring compared to their lifestyle.
These are people who have transformed their ideals into deeds and hard work.
During the first few days I didn’t even have the nerve to unpack my camera from my bag, but gradually, by letting myself become immersed in their community and lifestyle, and through helping with daily tasks and sharing campfire stories, I felt the walls of distrust crumble. Slowly, getting to know them on a daily basis turned into a genuine co-existence. This allowed me to make a series of personal portraits depicting these people as their vulnerable selves, and to capture the essence of their remarkable community». [ Kevin Faingnaert ]
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MATAVENERO
by Kevin Faingnaert
streets of the historic centre - Florinas SS (Italy)
30 July – 30 September 2016
admission fee: free
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[ INTERNAL RESOURCES ]
◉ [ FPtag ] MENOTRENTUNO2016: the point of view of the editorial staff
◉ [ video ] Menotrentuno: terramadre / homeland
◉ [ events ] Menotrentuno: an Island of exhibitions
◉ [ exhibitions ] Vel Marì by Mohamed Keita
◉ [ exhibitions ] Idomeni, (un)settled territory by Orestis Seferoglou
◉ [ exhibitions ] Dubininkai village by Kotryna Ula Kiliulyte
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[ exhibitions ] I called out for the mountains... by Miia Autio
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[ exhibitions ]
Three-Step Dance by Roberta Masala
◉ [ exhibitions ] Across the river by Jasper Walter Bastian
◉ [ exhibitions ] Four Seasons by Serena Vittorini
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[ exhibitions ] The farm in the centre by Sofie Amalie Klougart
◉ [ exhibitions ] Arsuneli's Lands by Andrea Alfano
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[ exhibitions ]
Okoem, space that can look around by Yevgeny Nakonechnyy
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[ contest ] #meno31contest
[ EXTERNAL RESOURCES ]
◎ Kevin Faingnaert
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Menotrentuno
published on 2016-09-07 in NEWS / EXHIBITIONS
MENOTRENTUNO2016FPmag
editor in chief Sandro Iovine | sandro.iovine@fpmagazine.eu - senior writer Stefania Biamonti - web developer Salvatore Picciuto | info@myphotoportal.com - linguistic coordination Nicky Alexander - translations Nicky Alexander, Rachele Frosini - contributor Davide Bologna, Mimmo Cacciuni Angelone, Laura Marcolini, Stefano Panzeri, Pio Tarantini, Salvo Veneziano - local Lazio correspondent Dario Coletti local Sardinian correspondent Salvatore Ligios - local Sicilian correspondent Salvo Veneziano - editorial office via Spartaco, 36 20135 Milano MI | redazione@fpmagazine.eu - phone +39 02 49537170 - copyright © 2015 FPmag - FPmag is a pubblication of Machia Press Publishing srl a socio unico, via Cristoforo Gluck, 3 20135 Milano MI - VAT no. 07535000967 C.F. (TAX code) 07535000967 - Copyright © 2015 FPmag - Registered at Tribunale di Milano No. 281 on the 9th September 2014
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