Retaguardia

THIRD PRIZE WINNER - GPG 2024:"The Third-place Winner of the 2024 Gomma Photography Grant, Jesús Umbría Rito with ‘Retaguardia’, is a striking exploration of post-pandemic youth immersed in Madrid’s underground subcultures. Through vividly beautiful color photography, layered with subtle undertones, Umbría Rito captures a generation reclaiming the aesthetics and sounds of past decades while forging a deep connection with the rebellious spirits that preceded them. Spanning two temporal dimensions—the photographer’s own youth, three decades ago, and the present moment—Retaguardia becomes both a personal reflection and a broader meditation on identity, belonging, and the cyclical nature of countercultures. With a sensitive yet immersive approach, the work reveals a thriving community where diversity flourishes, and self-expression takes center stage. Engaging with the visual language of photographers such as Bruce Davidson, Larry Clark, and Mary Ellen Mark, Umbría Rito’s work places itself within the tradition of documenting those on the fringes of mainstream society. His lens does more than observe—it participates, offering a nuanced, empathetic view of these subcultures. In doing so, Retaguardia raises essential questions about how photography captures and preserves these vibrant communities, ensuring their legacy remains as vivid as the images themselves." Gomma“Retaguardia” is a project that portrays post-pandemic youth immersed in the underground subcultures of Madrid. These are young people who embrace the sounds and aesthetics of past decades while establishing a connection with the generations that were part of those scenes. The project includes two time periods: on the one hand, the one lived by the author himself three decades ago; and on the other, the current moment, where he coexists with young people who once again reclaim the aesthetics of those minorities and relive their dilemmas. By producing original images and using portraiture, the author reflects on identity, the need for belonging, and social transversality. His objective is to capture the essence of that community of young people; the result is a project where diversity flourishes strongly. Some of the most powerful images of the 20th and 21st centuries have emerged from engagement with communities outside the mainstream. Retaguardia explores how photography relates to this topic, connecting with the work of creators such as Bruce Davidson, Larry Clark, Jim Goldberg, Mary Ellen Mark and Chris Steele-Perkins. The project raises questions about the meaning of inhabiting these subcultures and the role that photographers have played in representing these minorities.« J.U.B.