Portal de Turismo de Castilla y León

Dates

15 April to 24 May 2026

When?

Currently

Link

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From April 15 to May 24 , in the Exhibition Hall of the Public Library of Palencia, you can visit the exhibition of the VI International Photography Festival of Castilla y León which shows part of the photographic collections of the Provincial Historical Archives of Avila and Soria.

The French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre stated that, "Happiness is not doing what one wants, but wanting what one does," a phrase that encapsulates a profoundly existential conception of human life. In this view, happiness is not presented as a passive state nor as the mere satisfaction of immediate desires, but as a conscious construction that emerges from commitment to our choices: the individual not only chooses, but also gives meaning to what they choose.

This year, the Castilla y León International Photography Festival delves into the turbulent world of happiness, but not the kind that corresponds to fleeting, divinely bestowed satisfaction. "Preserving happiness" implies a happiness that depends less on external circumstances than on the reflective attitude we adopt toward them. To truly love what one does, as Sartre said, involves a process of appropriation, a reconciliation between action and meaning. Thus, even in adverse contexts, the individual can find a form of fulfillment by recognizing their capacity to decide how to inhabit their reality.

Photography has the unique ability to capture moments that would otherwise be lost in the constant flow of time. When it comes to capturing a moment of happiness, the image becomes more than just a visual record; it becomes an emotional imprint. In a spontaneous smile, a shared glance, or an unexpected gesture, the camera manages to freeze what we perceive but cannot always express in words. That fraction of a second is suspended, preserving not only the scene but also the atmosphere, the light, and the emotion that surrounds it.

Looking at a happy photograph not only reminds us of what happened, but also allows us to relive the feeling we experienced at that precise moment. It's a bridge between the past and the present, a way to feel again without needing to physically return. Thus, each image becomes an intimate refuge where joy remains intact, resistant to the passage of time and always available to be rediscovered, holding an implicit tenderness. Ultimately, happiness is not a distant destination, but a daily practice of paying attention to and caring for our own lives.