Abad begins his career as a young journalism student at the University of Antioquia, Medellín in 1987, in a very challenging social context. “I was always interested in journalism, but I was scared to write” Abad tells us. “During my first year at the University of Antioquia, around 20 students and teachers were killed, and these were people I knew. In this country, words have always been dangerous, especially those used to speak of social justice, equity and human rights”.
In spite of this danger, Abad Colorado knew he was destined to carry out a very important endeavour for his country, telling the story of Colombia through the gazes of those who would protagonise his photos.
The photographer who walks
The language Abad Colorado uses to describe his practice as a photojournalist is particular in that it speaks to the very human element of his work. “I like to walk with people and look them in the eyes” he tells us, emphasising the importance of understanding in depth the stories of those he has worked with. “I’ve walked across this country, and I’ve walked with its people”.
Due to the difficult and complex situation which Abad Colorado has decided to document, many think his photographs only deal with pain and suffering that many experienced during the decades of conflict here in Colombia. However, he stresses that his photos also portray stories of hope and human strength. “I don’t just speak about pain, I also speak about resistance and life itself. One doesn’t go out looking for pain, it finds you, as does dignity, humanity, and the luscious fields of this country, and people harvesting”.
“Memories consist of many different fragments and my work is to document that so that we can understand ourselves and each other more as a nation and a collective”. The idea of his photographs is to tell stories of the farmers and peasants of Colombia’s countryside, stories that seldom reach those who live in big cities or those who have had little to no direct experience of the war.
Abad Colorado wants to make us see that in every war there are winners and losers, and to break the cycle of violence, it is necessary that we understand these power dynamics. “The poor people are the ones who end up going to war”, says Abad, and as long as there is a political class who profits from arms sales and violence, there will be many Colombians who will suffer and lose everything.
How to overcome revenge and achieve peace
Colombia is profoundly divided, and these divisions became more apparent than ever during the peace referendum in October 2016, when 50.21% of Colombians voted against the agreements. The region of Antioquia, where Abad Colorado was born and where the city of Medellín is located, was particularly surprising in its stance against the peace accords and 62% voted against them.
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