Genesis, a new photobook by photographer Juan Brenner, delves into the people and culture of the Guatemalan Highlands. Published by Guest Editions, this extensive work is the result of five years of Brenner’s dedicated effort to document the Highland area and its people.
Focusing on the youth culture of the region, Brenner captures the experiences of a new generation of Guatemalans who are beginning to forge a global dialogue. Genesis offers a comprehensive study of Highland society, examining the history, nuances, and complexities of daily life in a territory undergoing significant transformation. Brenner’s photography aims to document this “process of becoming.”
Through Genesis, Brenner explores the impact of historical events, from the Spanish invasion in the 16th century to the legacy of colonial rule, and how these have shaped the present and future of the region.
Brenner commented:
“At first, I wanted to learn more about myself and my place in this territory. 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. The Highlands are so dense and rich with stimulus that it’s hard to digest everything at once when you’re there.”
A self-taught photographer based in Guatemala City, Juan Brenner spent over a decade working as a fashion photographer in New York before returning to his native Guatemala to focus on capturing the complex and evolving landscape of the Western Highlands.
Genesis features 360 pages filled with striking images of the people and places of the Guatemalan Highlands, accompanied by extensive texts and place descriptions. Brenner noted:
“I’ve never worked in this way where my subject matter was changing so much. I started seeing changes in scenes I’d already shot—things can change abruptly here, including new roads, houses, and architecture. Gen Z in the Highlands is the first generation to be 100% interconnected with the world. And that’s just happened in the last five years. It might be another 25 years before we know the significance of this archive, but I knew it was important to document. In 2023, I stopped making this work because I had to draw a line, but the territory is ever-changing.”
The book also includes an essay by writer Julio Serrano and a transcript of several conversations between Juan Brenner and Gem Fletcher.
Genesis is available for pre-order on the Guest Editions website and will be officially released in mid-October. A launch event and signing for the photobook will take place at Photobook Cafe in London on Thursday, 14th November.
See more of Juan's work here.
