Title of the photo displayed at the Frèsia flower shop in Mataró:

I Oleee!

Photo Description:

Some photographs tell stories that could never have been planned.

A German family visiting Mataró after spending time in Barcelona unexpectedly came across a parade featuring Robafaves, the city's giant. Their daughter, who had fallen in love with a flamenco dress she had bought in Barcelona during the same trip, watched the procession of the giants with fascination.

In a single image, three cultures come together: a German family, a dress representing an Andalusian tradition, and a parade that forms part of the soul of Catalan popular culture.

Traditions may be different, but the ability to be amazed and moved by culture is universal.

Who is Lluís Rugama?

Lluís Rugama, born in Mataró in 1965, discovered his passion for photography in 2011 during the "indignados" protests at Plaça Santa Anna, where he met and named his camera “Nuri.” Since then, he has documented events like Les Santes, protests, and many other cultural happenings. Proud of his Mataró roots, he has collaborated with Ràdio La Veu and has had his photographs featured in the city’s most notable local magazines, such as Tot Mataró and Capgròs.

In 2015, for his 50th birthday, he received the gift of a lifetime: a trip to Nepal, where he produced one of his most powerful photo reports, which became a solidarity calendar. In 2020, during the pandemic, he began a new project to document everything that was unfolding over two years.

Currently, he is working on a solidarity report on homelessness at the Santa Anna emergency shelter in Barcelona, continuing his deep commitment to social awareness and documentary photography.

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