Alba, Carlos - The Observations of Trifles

"'The observation of trifles' (2013-2016) is about how a foreigner finds his way in a new country and a new neighbourhood. I am the immigrant. Taking objects that I found on the streets and using them as a kind of visual archaeology, I discovered East London and its denizens. I focus on the neighbourhoods of Tower Hamlets and Hackney.
I live on the border in between both of them. The combination of objects with photographs helps me to introduce to the audience my work through a more physically way and with a mystery feeling. Thanks to these elements I am making an analytic and expressive world: urban furniture reproductions; landscapes of council houses created between the 50's and 70's for Londoners and immigrants with low rents; details of letters with notes, drawings...
But the most important aspect of this work is the people who I met thanks to the signals and ways that I followed guided by the objects that I found on the street. They are the key to open an unexplored world and new life stories. 'The observation of trifles' is a work that is at the crossroads of the collection, history and architectural document, visual and social analysis. I have attempted to do not forget the photographic aesthetic and the photographic poetic value.! (C.A.)

"Notebooks, post-its, facades, dustbins, cars… And people. The eye of the photographer who arrives in London as  a foreigner captures an entire universe of insignificant things (trifles) which, however, can mean a lot to the newcomer. Nominated for World Press Photo and a finalist for the Gran Prix Fotofestival, in 'The Observation of Trifles' the Madrid-born photographer Carlos Alba suggests a unique, random guide through the conventionalisms of a London seen through objects found on its streets.
This London is a far cry from postcards and is defined by both these everyday objects (which are therefore forgotten in the routine) and the look of the people that Alba photographed in the neighbourhoods of Hackney and Tower Hamlets, which make up a panoply of stories which may be analytical or superficial but are always poetic." (publisher's note)

Spanish/en espanol:
"'The observation of trifles' es como un extranjero trata de encontrar su camino en un nuevo país y un nuevo barrio. Yo soy el inmigrante. Tomando objetos que encuentro en las calles y utilizándolos como una especie de arqueología visual, descubro el Este de Londres y sus habitantes. La combinación de objetos con fotografías me ayuda a presentar mi trabajo al espectador de una manera más física y con una sensación de intriga. Gracias a los siguientes elementos consigo construir un mundo analítico y expresivo: reproducciones de mobiliario urbano; paisajes de viviendas sociales creadas entre los años 50 y 70 para londinenses e inmigrantes con rentas bajas; Detalles de papeles con notas, dibujos y direcciones; fotografías y rollos de película de los ciudadanos del Este de Londres que perdieron sus recuerdos en la ciudad. Lo más importante de este trabajo, es la gente que he conocido gracias a los objetos que he encontrado en la calle. Ellos son la clave para abrir un mundo inexplorado, un lugar de curiosa auto-expresión, pero también un mundo de nuevas relaciones y nuevas historias de vida. "The observation of trifles" es una obra que está en la encrucijada de la historia, el documento arquitectónico, el visual y el análisis social. Todo ello sin olvidar la estética fotográfica y su valor poético." (C.A.)

About the photographer (1984, Madrid - ES):
Carlos Alba is an independent visual storyteller from Madrid based in London.

"My work is focused on human relations in the modern world. My photographs have a conceptual approach and they reflect contemporary social issues from a positive point of view. My tools are objects and archives that help me to find the photographs that I want to take. I am a regular contributor of weekly and monthly magazines. I have published my work in AD, Esquire, Forbes Spain, Grazia, I-D Magazine, Woman Madamme Figaro, Yo Dona..." (C.A.)

"Mi trabajo se centra en las relaciones humanas en el mundo moderno. Mis fotografías tienen un enfoque conceptual y reflejan los problemas sociales contemporáneos desde un punto de vista positivo. Mis herramientas son objetos y archivo fotográfico que me ayudan a encontrar las fotografías que deseo realizar. Colaboro habitualmente con revistas semanales y mensuales. He publicado mi trabajo en AD, Esquire, Forbes España, Grazia, I-D Magazine, Woman Madamme Figaro, Yo Dona ..." (C.A.)