Witnesses of Time
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Photography & Video
Witnesses of Time Details
From Publishers Weekly Published in conjunction with a traveling exhibition, this volume of duotone photographs is often quite extraordinary. Attempting to show the melding of the mystical and the material, the ancient and the contemporary, in the daily lives of Native Americans in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, Garduno has fashioned a set of stunning portraits and landscapes. Most of the pictures are of Indians in their everyday circumstances--bare rooms with dirt floors, dusty and desolate stretches of land, old-world country villages--with many of the human subjects juxtaposed to (or wearing) religious totems, both Christian and pagan. Mexican novelist Fuentes writes of Garduno capturing "the immediate beauty and seduction of a figurine . . . a smiling little mask, or a parrot stylized for all eternity." Her most affecting photos are those in which these symbols blend in naturally with the overall composition. In several of the pictures, however, the subjects are too posed; one can imagine Garduno placing objects in their hands and telling them how and where to stand. Another problem: there is no text to accompany the photos, leaving the reader to guess the context or to glean what little information one can from the photos' titles. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Read more From Library Journal This exquisite collection of duotone photographs by one of the most important living Mexican photographers is the result of the author's travels through rural Central and South America. These photographs explore the spiritual nature of indigenous American peoples in a sensitive, haunting manner. The imagery includes the sacred and often the mysterious nature of these Incan and Mayan descendants. Processions, ceremonies, reliquaries, funerals, sacrifices, and surreal landscapes are all a part of the fabric of indigenous life, and Garduno has provided the readers with a view through a keyhole into this unfamiliar world. With his introduction, Carlos Fuentes has provided a poetic accompaniment to Garduno's photographs. A valuable purchase for both public and academic libraries that serve patrons interested in photography or in our southern neighbors.- Mary Molinaro, Univ. of Kentucky, LexingtonCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. Read more Language Notes Text: English (translation) Original Language: Spanish Read more
Reviews
I did not know Flor Garduño's work until recently. I am impressed with the quality of her work, which she has been producing for close to three decades now. I have also purchased "Inner Lights". Both show a superb technical knowledge of photography and indeed the are witnesses of time in Central and South America. Some images project deep sadness and others great joy. They all leave a lasting impression. Even on a used book, you will be tempted to cut the pages and frame them.