Juan Brenner’s ‘Genesis’ Captures Youth Culture In the Guatemalan Highlands
Tender scenes amidst a “process of becoming.”
After a decade-long career as a fashion photographer, Juan Brenner left New York City to return to Guatemala City. In his homecoming, he was moved by the new era of Guatemalans who brought aesthetic traditions and ways of being into a new dawn. For his upcoming book, published by Guest Editions, Brenner presents the vibrant renaissance of youth culture in the Western Highlands in a series of rich and tender scenes.
Across 360 pages, Genesis chronicles everyday life in a culmination of over five years’ work. “The more I worked on Genesis, the less it became about me and the more it evolved into an archive of a moment in time,” Brenner notes. “The Highlands are so dense and rich with stimulus that it’s hard to digest everything at once when you’re there.” In the face of great change, the artist explores land, leisure, grief, and community in the Highlands, bringing the region’s complex history and reality into full focus.
Alongside photographs, the book features an essay by filmmaker and poet Julio Serrano, as well as a conversation between Brenner and writer Gem Fletcher. Genesis is available for pre-order online on the Guest Editions website for £38.25 GBP (approximately $51 USD). A launch event and signing will be held at Photobook Cafe in London on November 14, 2024.
