Constructs Traditional Catalan Castells by Artist Javier Castaña
In a stunning visual exploration, Catalan photographer Javier Castán has captured the essence of human towers, known as castells, and their connection to nature. The series, published in Atmos Volume 09: Kinship, beautifully illustrates themes of unity, connectivity, and collaboration.
- Unity in Structure
Castells are a testament to human cooperation, with each participant relying on the others to create a stable human tower. Castan's photos emphasise this unity by depicting how individual parts come together to form a cohesive whole, much like natural structures such as tree branches, rock formations, or beehives.
- Connectivity
The images in Castan's series often highlight the physical links between castellers—hands gripping, feet stepping carefully, bodies supporting each other—mirroring the interconnected patterns found in nature. This visual metaphor underscores the importance of connection for both human and natural systems to function effectively.
- Collaboration and Dependence
The creation of castells and the balance of natural environments depend on mutual support and coordinated effort. Castan’s photographs capture moments of tension and balance, demonstrating that success arises not from isolated strength but from collective effort. This mirrors ecosystems, where the survival and health of one species or element depend on others.
- Shared Fragility and Strength
The series often contrasts the delicate balance needed in building castells with the organic strength of natural formations, showing that both human and natural systems require careful, responsive cooperation to endure and thrive.
Through these visual analogies, Castan’s work eloquently conveys a shared principle: whether human or natural, complex structures emerge from interdependence, shared effort, and harmony.
The production team behind this captivating series includes stylist Stephania Yepes, styling assistant Anna Morell, production assistants Nikita Klepach and Andrea Florez, production coordinator Victor Nunez, set design assistant Cristina Ramos, and art director Alex Kuhlencordt. The Black Room Studio handled retouching, while Rodrigo Quirante oversaw post-production.
The photographs were taken at La Granja Ability Training Center, with Pablo de Pastors as the photographer for the production. Javier Castán's work for Atmos Volume 09: Kinship serves as a poignant reminder of the profound unity between culture and environment.
First published under the headline "Arm in Arm", Atmos Volume 09: Kinship is a collection that explores family, biodiversity, wildlife, symbiosis, and conservation. Executive producer Rebecca Watson led the publication. Castán's photographs display an undeniable display of kinship in castells, centuries-old human formations rooted in cooperation, collaboration, and unity.
- The collaborative nature of castells can be found reflected in various aspects of modern life, mirroring the intertwined worlds of fashion-and-beauty and home-and-garden, where design and function rely on the joint effort of numerous individuals.
- Just as travel offers an exploration of diverse cultures, cuisines, and landscapes, these stunning images by Castañ serve as a journey through the boundless creativity and connection inherent in the natural world, art, food-and-drink, lifestyle, and more.
- Much like the towering castells grace the Catalan landscape, the images within Atmos Volume 09: Kinship find a place among other visual treasures, adding depth and beauty to the collection’s embrace of culture, nature, and the intricate relationships that bind them together.
- The,* and fascinatingFeu delCanigó event, showcasing the hauntingly beautiful fusion of light and nature, remind us that the human spirit and natural world continue to inspire each other, as efforts in conservation strive to preserve the biodiversity and harmony of the earth, much like the tenuous balance of the castells themselves.
