Hometown

“I grew up here. My whole family lived in this area. My grandmother’s flat was just down the road. I remember when the comercial centres were modern and the shops were booming. The 90’s were amazing in Portugal. Cash seemed to flow easily. Some improvements were made to Cova da Piedade at the time. The water collectors were fixed to prevent floods, a few new housing blocks popped out here and there. There were plenty of shops and restaurants. There were so many kids my age around… It was never a posh town but it was never a bad place to live either. Then austerity came. My generation grew to end up in unemployment. So did the generations that followed. Lots of people left and went abroad. The youngsters that stayed didn’t have much to do. I left as well. Every time I go home I can see that my hometown is getting uglier by the day. The decay is impressive. It’s still a safe place to live but the comercial centres closed down, every wall has cracks and graffiti tags, the population is old. Everywhere you look, you see an old person. Part of the graffiti is even vintage! You can still read words and protests from the 1976 presidential elections. Things seem to be picking up around there, though. The neighbouring towns are looking smarter and tourists are visiting. And while that happens elsewhere, Cova da Piedade remains as it is. On its way to become a ghost town with so many stories to tell.” This series was photographed in the town of Cova da Piedade, Almada, just a step away from the vibrant capital Lisbon. Summer 2018.