En abril, aguas mil

The Sierra Nevada in Andalucía—a region of dramatic contrasts, from snowy peaks to Europe’s only desert and one of the worlds biggest greenhouse farms on the Mediterranean coast—has long relied on meltwater as its main freshwater source. But it’s no longer sufficient. As droughts worsen, desalinated seawater must increasingly fill the gap, despite its high environmental and financial cost. Spain supplies over a quarter of the EU’s fruits and vegetables, with Germany as its main importer.

I’ve returned to the region several times since my first visit in 2017, most recently spending April 2023 there. What began as a personal exploration of landscape and identity evolved into an ongoing documentation of environmental change. The project’s title—“En Abril, Aguas Mil”—refers to a Spanish proverb meaning “In April, a thousand waters”, which traditionally evokes the arrival of spring rains. Today, that promise feels increasingly uncertain.