'Echele Ganas' provokes thought on
immigration issues through photography
September 21, 2010 | By Anna Majeski, Gallery Review
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"Echele Ganas," currently on view in the Tufts Gallery's Remis Sculpture Court, examines the life of villagers from the village of La Sierra de Norte. Salzmann lives in Philadelphia, where he met several people originally from the village. Instead of looking at the lives of these individuals in the United States, Salzmann went to their hometown to observe what they had left behind. The exhibit includes a series of photographs and a set of interviews with the workers, where they talk about their lives in the village and in the United States.
In La Sierra de Norte, he found a community kept afloat by money sent back from the United States. Salzmann's photographs portray the daily life of this community. They examine major events like weddings, first communions and quinceañeras, as well as more mundane aspects of village life. Salzmann's range of images creates a view of village life that is both struggling and vibrant. Above all, he seeks to put an accurate face on Mexican immigrants who look for financial help in America.
The first image is "Catalina with her Calla Lilies, Xonacatla" (2005). A stark, crisply defined photograph, it shows an older woman framed in a rough, hilly landscape. The woman's face is etched with wrinkles; she wears a cheap plastic hat, a purple sweater and a patterned blue scarf. Despite her worn clothing, the caption tells us that she is going to her son's wedding. The woman does not look directly into the camera, but stares proudly out of the picture plane into the distance. In her hand is a bunch of white calla lilies - their clean lines form a stark contrast with the landscape and anticipate the joy of the wedding.
Above all though, it is a portrait of the woman. The framing of her face and even lighting create a beautiful composition. She seems perfectly at peace with her environment, and the shape of the flowers mirrors her open face. "Catalina with her Calla Lilies" is an image of a woman who is at home in this village, and whose poverty does not detract from her pride.
"First Communion in Mirador" (2007) shows a different set of villagers. In a cloudy valley, two lines of children, one of boys, one of girls, recede into the distance. They are dressed in white, and streams of colorful flags fly above while their parents line up around them. Many of them look impatient and cold, squirming as they wait to proceed in for the ceremony. Capturing a scene of childish impatience at this important event, the image concentrates once again on the villagers. Though most of the children are looking away from the camera, one boy looks directly into it, staring at the viewer - a quiet pause in the busy scene.
Again employing crisp photography, Salzmann draws attention to the family members that have been left behind by those who leave for the United States.
The final photograph in the series, "Preparations for the Wedding" (2005), shows a group of older women outdoors. The three women at the front all wear matching blue aprons as they stand around a large black pot being heated over a fire. The photo is more colorful than some of the others, and the strong contrast between the green of the landscape and the bright blue of the aprons draws the eye. The sense of community between the women is angible, as they all prepare for the wedding of one of their neighbors. They stand comfortably around, obviously at ease in their environment - though to us it is an unfamiliar scene. "Preparations for the Wedding" shows the strong bonds in this community despite the difficult circumstances surrounding it.
Salzmann's photographs examine the lives that some Mexican immigrants must leave behind. Showing images of great importance in daily life, as well as less monumental ones, the exhibit strives to form a more complete picture of a group of people and a way of life not seen by many Americans.
The pairing of the exhibition with "Mexico: Beyond its Revolution" connects it to an entire reexamination of a popular image of Mexican life. "Echele Ganas" seeks to open a dialogue about immigration rights by acknowledging the people and the lifestyle that Mexican immigrants have left behind.
A special screening of the documentary part of the exhibit will take place on Oct. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Remis Sculpture Court and will be accompanied by a talk with the artist. Editor's Note: Anna Majeski is also a volunteer gallery guide at the Tufts University Art Gallery.
The centennial of the Mexican Revolution this year sparked a reexamination of Americans' relationship with Mexico. Immigration reform also fills the media, as fierce debates wage in light of the upcoming elections. Our southern neighbor is a controversial topic for many Americans, but artist Laurence Salzmann introduces a different point of view in his exhibit "Echele Ganas (Do Your Best): A Life Left Behind," a sister exhibit to "Mexico: Beyond Its Revolution," now at the Tufts University Art Gallery.
"Echele Ganas," currently on view in the Tufts Gallery's Remis Sculpture Court, examines the life of villagers from the village of La Sierra de Norte. Salzmann lives in Philadelphia, where he met several people originally from the village. Instead of looking at the lives of these individuals in the United States, Salzmann went to their hometown to observe what they had left behind. The exhibit includes a series of photographs and a set of interviews with the workers, where they talk about their lives in the village and in the United States.
In La Sierra de Norte, he found a community kept afloat by money sent back from the United States. Salzmann's photographs portray the daily life of this community. They examine major events like weddings, first communions and quinceañeras, as well as more mundane aspects of village life. Salzmann's range of images creates a view of village life that is both struggling and vibrant. Above all, he seeks to put an accurate face on Mexican immigrants who look for financial help in America.
The first image is "Catalina with her Calla Lilies, Xonacatla" (2005). A stark, crisply defined photograph, it shows an older woman framed in a rough, hilly landscape. The woman's face is etched with wrinkles; she wears a cheap plastic hat, a purple sweater and a patterned blue scarf. Despite her worn clothing, the caption tells us that she is going to her son's wedding. The woman does not look directly into the camera, but stares proudly out of the picture plane into the distance. In her hand is a bunch of white calla lilies - their clean lines form a stark contrast with the landscape and anticipate the joy of the wedding.
Above all though, it is a portrait of the woman. The framing of her face and even lighting create a beautiful composition. She seems perfectly at peace with her environment, and the shape of the flowers mirrors her open face. "Catalina with her Calla Lilies" is an image of a woman who is at home in this village, and whose poverty does not detract from her pride.
"First Communion in Mirador" (2007) shows a different set of villagers. In a cloudy valley, two lines of children, one of boys, one of girls, recede into the distance. They are dressed in white, and streams of colorful flags fly above while their parents line up around them. Many of them look impatient and cold, squirming as they wait to proceed in for the ceremony. Capturing a scene of childish impatience at this important event, the image concentrates once again on the villagers. Though most of the children are looking away from the camera, one boy looks directly into it, staring at the viewer - a quiet pause in the busy scene.
Again employing crisp photography, Salzmann draws attention to the family members that have been left behind by those who leave for the United States.
The final photograph in the series, "Preparations for the Wedding" (2005), shows a group of older women outdoors. The three women at the front all wear matching blue aprons as they stand around a large black pot being heated over a fire. The photo is more colorful than some of the others, and the strong contrast between the green of the landscape and the bright blue of the aprons draws the eye. The sense of community between the women is tangible, as they all prepare for the wedding of one of their neighbors. They stand comfortably around, obviously at ease in their environment - though to us it is an unfamiliar scene. "Preparations for the Wedding" shows the strong bonds in this community despite the difficult circumstances surrounding it.
Salzmann's photographs examine the lives that some Mexican immigrants must leave behind. Showing images of great importance in daily life, as well as less monumental ones, the exhibit strives to form a more complete picture of a group of people and a way of life not seen by many Americans.
The pairing of the exhibition with "Mexico: Beyond its Revolution" connects it to an entire reexamination of a popular image of Mexican life. "Echele Ganas" seeks to open a dialogue about immigration rights by acknowledging the people and the lifestyle that Mexican immigrants have left behind.
A special screening of the documentary part of the exhibit will take place on Oct. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Remis Sculpture Court and will be accompanied by a talk with the artist. Editor's Note: Anna Majeski is also a volunteer gallery guide at the Tufts University Art Gallery.