Mexico, A Photographic Journey

This past week The Wall Street Journal featured an article illustrating the worsening problem of drug cartels in Mexico. It saddens me to see this happening in Mexico, a country that I love to explore and photograph. I think of the friendly people who have extended their hospitality to my family over the years.

Following is an excerpt from a book project I am working on entitled
Mexico, A Photographic Journey of Color and Light.

In Mexico, I’m inspired by the folk art and spirit of creativity in the people. The language of myth and magic animates the culture and breathes life into religion. I think of the “Day of the Dead” as a day when the veil separating the dead from the living is thin, a prism through which the pain of loss gathers life into sharper focus, as if death can spark an even greater passion for life. A dark satirical twist and humor often shows up in the art, music and literature of Mexico. Especially memorable for me are the Day of the Dead Figurines, carved out of wood and displayed with bottles of tequila and bouquets of crepe paper flowers.

We do not see things as they are...

I first came across these lines from the Talmud years ago, and remember thinking how beautifully they get to the point. The words have a zen quality for me. They point to the idea that past conditioning shapes much of what we see, think, do or say. Conditioning is a prism of filters...Some filters are rose-colored, some are neutral and others are dark or obscured. Zen asks, What is it like without filters? What if you could experience something directly?  I think Haiku masters have come close to achieving this.

Are my photographs self portraits? Take this picture of my mom's wedding gown, which I consider to be an interesting self-portrait. It is full of tones that are either very dark or very light. It was taken shortly after I was married during a time of ups and downs. I have a vague memory of grabbing my camera and my mom's wedding dress and heading down to the wooded creek behind our secluded little rental house. I had no plans and can't recall what I intended to do with it. I ended up hanging it on some low lying branches and snapped away as it floated on the breeze.

Age of Aquarius

And finally, there was the girl playing her violin, pictured here, at the public market in Seattle. There was something Madonna-like in her face, in her serene expression; her melody was rendered all the more sweet in the midst of the bustling street... people passing without seeming to notice..