In mid-March 2020, the global media was turning its attention to the coronavirus crisis in my adopted city, Madrid/Spain. The press entitled HEROES all nurses and doctors working at the hospitals. I determined to support the public healthcare workers with a portrait photography project. Three of Madrid’s covid19 hospitals, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Hierro, Majadahonda, Hospital Gregorio Marañon and Hospital Universitario del Sureste opened their doors to me and I photographed 150 public healthcare workers. To me all professionals from all departments are equally important and essential for the healthcare system, so I invited members of all departments to the project.
At the outset of the project I had two goals: firstly, to pay homage to those on the battle field of this chapter in our history, and secondly, to provide them with a safe space in which to rest and breathe, even just for a short while.
The photo sessions quickly developed a pattern. Each person arrived enthusiastic, smiling even, but that energy disintegrated as the wall between us came down and they began to share their stories. Every single one was exhausted: physically shattered from their daily 12-16 hour shifts and mentally and emotionally drained from the challenging and oftentimes distressing nature of their jobs. Like most of their hospital co-workers, including cleaners, student doctors, and management staff, they were also suffering the toll of the personal sacrifices that they have had to make to keep their own loved ones safe.
We call them heroes, but upon photographing and talking to them, I came to understand that this label was adding to their burden rather than easing it. Heroes possess infinite strength. The people in front of me were human, albeit humans doing extraordinary things, and it was clear that they were on the verge of collapse. “we don’t have super-powers”.
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Project carried out with the kind collaboration and support of Hospital Universitario Puerta del Hierro, Hospital Gregorio Marañon, Hospital Sureste, where 150 people come to my studio.
Shot with a Leica M10 Monochrome.
