Ibiza&rsquo;s ancient houses are vanishing. A new photography project aims to capture them before they go.

The photographer <a href="https://www.sayanacairo.com">Sayana Cairo</a> was born in the jungle of Southern India and was raised between Goa and Ibiza by her American English mother &ndash; herself the daughter of hippies - and Valenciano stepfather. Living in the campo between San Miguel and San Lorenzo, Cairo developed a keen eye for nature and beauty and by 13 had pestered her mother enough to buy her first camera. &lsquo;I decided when I was 11 that I didn't want to work. And I decided that photographers don't work! So, at 11 I started asking for a camera. By the time I was 13, I was still asking for a one and my mom was kind enough to buy me an analogue camera. From that day onwards I just loved it. I was very, very lucky in that way. I kind of fell into it by chance. After my schooling here in Ibiza I moved to New York study at the New York Film Academy.&rsquo;&nbsp;

Cairo&rsquo;s current portfolio is a passion project that aims to capture the beauty and atmosphere of Ibiza&rsquo;s ancient fincas before they disappear for good, either to be knocked down or developed beyond recognition. It&rsquo;s a project she cares deeply about. &lsquo;Traditional fincas are the heartbeat of the island. There's so much history to them and so much feeling. They are living structures. You can feel immediately that these houses have been inhabited for hundreds of years, and they bear the mark of each family that has passed through. But they are fragile, too, and they are at risk. Will my grandchildren grow up around these remarkable houses like I did? I think not.&rsquo;&nbsp;

Cairo&rsquo;s as-yet-unnamed portfolio aims to document the structural details of the buildings along with their locations and interiors. The photographs themselves are perfectly imperfect, a happy accident that only adds to their allure. &lsquo;The six-by-six photos have mould on them. That's what all of the dots are - they are mould specks from very old rolls of film. Initially I was annoyed about the mould because the images weren&rsquo;t perfectly clean and beautiful. But then I thought it added to the idea of the project. The fincas are all so old that the effect suits them somehow. It&rsquo;s authentic, like they are.&rsquo;

Documenting the past: the Ibiza finca portfolio of Sayana Cairo

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