Sa Nostra Gent

Ramon Tur Photography Exhibition

Formentera, August 27, 2024

Yesterday, the photography exhibition titled Sa Nostra Gent, was inaugurated at the Ajuntament Vell exhibition hall, owned by the Consell Insular de Formentera, located in the square of the Sant Francesc church in Formentera.

The exhibition features 21 photos taken between 2010 and 2013 by Ramon Tur. The central theme of the exhibition was capturing images of local people engaged in everyday activities that represent them and connect them to the Formentera environment.

The turnout for the event was tremendous, and the presentation turned into a major celebration, with many of those photographed, as well as locals, friends, and curious visitors, coming by initially to view the images and enjoy a moment of conversation and laughter with those present.

It was undoubtedly the best way Ramon Tur could have imagined to open the exhibition.

At the end of this article, you’ll be able to download an E-Book to view the complete collection as well as the text accompanying each photo. So, don’t miss the chance to experience the exhibition from your smartphone or tablet if you can’t visit it in person. The exhibition will be on display from August 26 to September 7, 2024.

Project History

In February 2010, he took the first photo of a series featuring people from Formentera, captured while they were engaged in various activities or in situations that, in his view, represented their connection to the island. The common aesthetic across all images was a combination of natural light with several sources of controlled artificial light, aiming for an illumination that would stand out in the final photograph.

The last image was taken in January 2013, nearly three years after the first. Initially, he didn’t start photographing the people who would be part of this series with a clear intention beyond capturing a “beautiful” image of each and practicing outdoor flash lighting techniques, known then as Strobist.

As he accumulated photos, he realized that the collection could have a broader meaning beyond the individual significance of each image, and his intention evolved into creating a photography book about the people of Formentera.

Change of Plans

For different reasons that are not relevant, the project was halted and the photos were stored on a hard drive until late 2023. Thanks to the persistence of Joan Torres Mayans, a request was made to the Consell de Formentera to hold an exhibition at the Ajuntament Vell in Sant Francesc using all of them. During the process of creating the 21 photos that make up this exhibition, work was done with two different Canon cameras, six flash units, four tripods, reflectors, diffusers, and with the collaboration of everyone who agreed to be photographed, as well as the help provided by many friends in producing each of the images.

In this regard, Ramon wants to give special mention to Toni Mayans and Toni den Pasqual. Beyond their lifelong friendship, they were deeply involved in the entire process of creating each of the photos shown in the exhibition. Without their help and collaboration on many fronts, reaching this point would have been almost impossible.

His Connection to Formentera

During the process of taking the photos, Ramon Tur was still living in Ibiza, although his connection to Formentera dates back to September 1972. At that time, his parents took him to Formentera for 15 days aboard the Joven Dolores, along with their blue SEAT 124. He’s not sure if it was on that first trip or one of the many subsequent visits that he fell in love with Formentera, the island, and the friends he made on each visit, whom he missed every time he left the port of la Savina.

Eventually, Formentera became his home in 2013 and has been ever since. With this exhibition, he wants to thank once again all the people who were photographed and their families for allowing him to take a few hours of their time to work on something he was passionate about.

Similarly, he wants to thank the Consell de Formentera for providing the exhibition space and Trasmapi for their interest in being part of the show for the 50th anniversary of its founding.

Download the Exhibition

If you can’t visit the exhibition between August 26 and September 7, Ramon offers all website visitors and social media followers the chance to download the E-Book of the exhibition. This way, you can view it on your smartphone or tablet.