Photographer Silvana Trevale captures a poignant moment of two Venezuelan brothers returning from a fishing trip with their father on Playa Medina, a surreal beach surrounded by vultures and Japanese forest grass. The image, taken in 2018, became the cornerstone of her project 'Venezuelan Youth', which explores growing up in a country in crisis.
A Personal Journey
Trevale left Venezuela in the mid-2010s after experiencing violent robberies and a gun being held to her head. She moved to England to study at Huddersfield University, but felt a deep sense of displacement. 'I had the feeling many immigrants have – of not belonging, questioning who I was and where I was from,' she says. Her connection to Venezuela remained strong, and she returned frequently to visit her parents and the beaches she loved as a child.
The Photograph
During a goodbye trip with friends who were about to leave the country, Trevale visited Playa Medina. Waking up at 5am, she was struck by the soft light and the surreal landscape. She spotted two brothers returning from fishing with their dad. 'I could see they were tired, fed up with having to help their dad, but they were also playful with each other,' she recalls. She captured a single image on her Mamiya camera, which she later described as 'the abstract space – between reality and a place of hope for young people.'
The Project
The photograph launched 'Venezuelan Youth', a decade-long project aiming to understand what it means to grow up in a country with limited opportunities, where many young people aspire to leave. Trevale sought to balance harsh reality with innocence and beauty. 'I wanted to break away from any harsh kind of imagery, without dismissing the problems – to show the personal encounters I had with kids, to show what beauty we have,' she explains.
Collaborations and Evolution
Over time, Trevale collaborated with Venezuelan creative directors to incorporate fashion and traditional elements like the Joropo dance, which is at risk of being lost. Her work has been published in a book, 'Venezuelan Youth', which she calls 'my love letter to Venezuela.'
Trevale hopes the book reminds young people of their strength and resilience. 'All of us, whether we stayed or left, are marked by the crisis. But there are other good things we forget,' she says. 'I never want to forget where I come from.'
Venezuelan Youth is published by Guest Editions.
