Geovanny "Gato" Villegas is director of the photo documentary on the occasion of this, the second edition of the festival (October 25 to 30 / 2009) , we asked some things that seem relevant discuss. An intense and interesting meeting, the generated photo documentary on the special interest of the trade (LIC)
How many editions has been the photo-documentary?
This is the second edition of photo documentaries, the first was in 2007 and I think the most important achievement was the invitation to form what is now REFL (Ecuentros & Festivals Network of Latin American Photography) they belong to 16 festivals in 10 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
What were the objectives set by them to organize the meeting? Were met?
- strengthen dialogue, understanding and dissemination of Latin American visual . Which is not drawn at all in our midst today. Eye is a matter of returning to see what happened in the 70's and 80's where the issue was discussed already, but as I mention in the event catalog, is a joint task. At least it was possible a dialogue between Argentina's Julio Pantoja, Hair Max Supayfotos of Peru and me. Since each point is intended as the subject, this will bring tail. Looking at the case of Brazil, as they have walked longer, Luis Humberto is an example of this.
- encourage work across multiple sectors that develop, analyze and reflect documentary photography. The workshops raised at the event reflected this.
- C rear a space for dialogue and reflection on Documentary Photography. Gradually this will be achieved. The photo documentary is just two issues, but Stomp. This is not a flower burst position oneself but the comments that arise from foreign eyes give me the certainty of this. My interest is to offer something to be aware that all approaching. But much to this.
- Approaching different aesthetic and narrative documentary photography. The 4 lines that were handled each day of screenings and lectures trying to achieve.
- promote documentary photography exhibitions in various parts of the city in classic and alternative scenarios . 3 venues outside Quito and 7 inside, I think it's a good start.
- offer alternatives to bring documentary photography to the public.
- Promote the dissemination of photographic works of various authors.
upstate girls / Brenda Ann Kenneally (usa)
What do you expect in society that causes this event? Is it met those expectations or what caused the end?
Implement national and international agenda the issue of documentary photography Ecuador. In the case of the international environment is very clear, and there are festivals that speak or refer to the photo documentary and presented. House critics have poured in, good and bad. Give you good breath, bad give you ideas for improvement, but still I have the same reaction, invite the people who made the criticism to join this project, something that rarely happens. I think this is much of the Andean world torn between extreme solidarity and work together, but otherwise much zeal in achieving their own. Is symptomatic that when we visited several print media to directly invite photographers to be linked to conferences and workshops of the event, we did after closed receipt of documentary projects and tell me why they were not warned, that each had things good. My answer was always the same, the distribution was made months before and intensively, but the best party got out of Ecuador, so there are works from Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Peru and I'm talking about the 2nd sample documentary photography, not invited sample. 35 projects in total I think it's a good number. Had offers of seeking to do internships abroad in the event. This, without doubt exceeded my expectations.
What were the selection parameters of the samples submitted?
The thorniest issue of the event, a friend said "there are things that had to be there." In the case of the second sample of documentary photography, is met of international judges.
How did the process?
Once I received the revised work everything is in order, ie which fulfills the bases, if there was any breach of something, I immediately communicated with the / the author to tell him to correct it. Two or three did not work so they are immediately disqualified. Then I eliminated one or two jobs because of their low quality and lack of narrative axis. The others were sent to Brazil, A Macelo Reis, director of photography August in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, who coordinated the selection of works with other festivals and invited to deliberate. For samples that are directly invited to the event, the lines that followed were: projects addressing the issue of audiovisual memory, then the looks that are constructed from Latin America as a bet political and cultural interests you take the photo documentary. The commitment to the photographed and the choice that each photographer with his / her subject is one of the classic lines of this office and so this line. Here was freely to each author to submit their projects for the audiovisual resources they wanted, including some versions were produced especially for the event. This is a bet to give a strong argument that old criticism of aesthetic and narrative stagnation of documentary photography and this is possible with the use of new technologies, emergency narrative and break generational boundaries. Finally there are projects that are documentary but have not linked to any social cause, legal, environmental or otherwise, but are private eyes on the issue of privacy or any particular social, ie what today is being defined as the documentary of the author.
PHOTO The CIA was most striking the meeting, photos and music into a visual narrative, based on this work, what is for you this new documentary?, what differs from the documentary film or conceptual photo?
Borders broken, new forms of narrative and documentary aesthetic renewal. CIA picture is this. The paradox of the matter is that they start from a very traditional school also, I mean not ever reframe your shots, your digital postproduction part of a process highly reminiscent of the photochemical process in the laboratory. They say "our process is much more than think of photographing ". The film is thought of moving images from beginning to end and also planned and this is a meeting soon to say that this is a short documentary and may well be, but you realize that other Once tags are operating. Some say it's video and they say it's photography, what has changed is the media presentation is no longer hanging in space, but designed and accompanied by audio. When we speak of conceptual picture, talk about an area much farther from the documentary. I think this might lend itself muco more to the subject of art. Now I say this, I remember that picture Cia was invited to be part of an international project which presents works of art to project 911 again and end-use labels. In another project in Brazil that is a kind of visual memory that stores your library, asked that only wanted a frame 911, picture Cia said that this picture is part of a greater whole and is best thought of "archive" the clip, the thing was there because they did not accept "save" a video, the project involves only photos. I think this is about being flexible.
And what is the old documentary?
That sounds ugly and there are people out there hurting. I reiterate that I have lived too long with the classic documentary, I prefer to call it that old. I'm talking about Bresson and his ethical / aesthetic photographic, Eugene Smith, Robert Capa, Salgado, Robert Frank, and many, many more. Whenever Europe (France specifically) and the U.S. have "directed" the visibly allowed photographically speaking. There are a large number of followers of these aesthetics but the major criticism that "you saw a picture and saw all turns out to be true precisely because aesthetic and narrative stagnation. Of course, all this because many jobs became visible responded to the Eurocentric or market setting. Once sold out this look, or sale, is that you return to see other productions. The Peruvian case of Martin Chambi is very clear on this issue. Ansel Adams is most famous Chambi and if we look at the years of work of each, we got a big surprise. Not about who is better or who worked first but to be more fair to the work produced outside the "major hubs" for the production of the image. These decolonizing gaze. Something super clear, as another example, Julio Pantoja mentioned that the project "Memory of freshwater" Portugal's Adrian Supayfotos is much better than Martin Parr on the beaches, something in which I fully agree.
Aguadulce
This differentiation of "new" and "classic" Are not we forgetting to speak the language of photography itself, the union away angle optics, time frame, etc ... where "you say something?, is not that more important than the formal schools or renovations?
not think there should be this distance in any way. If, for effects of photo documentaries, classic and separated again is simply to give a distance in time or simply to note that work is committed to something and another may not. If someone comes do work on a specific topic, I do think you have a view on what you are shooting. This question reminded me of argument I always use in my workshop class, no matter if you use negative or digital, single picture or audiovisual resources, what matters is the image and finally the reflection that this cause. I think these technologies are to meet a narrative form that can complicate or give you more consistent or more "environment." Since I implemented a while samples of classical authors, but these are extremely expensive and the institutions that manage you put a number of constraints that are absurd and do not connect to anything with a socioeconomic reality. This issue is so strong that you get to decide, between, for example, bring a sample of August Sander (who fell for a stubborn foundation that manages the exhibition in Germany) or pay for two airline tickets for guests. Of course I prefer the latter.
privileges The meeting talking about the visual, memory, the other responsibility, the new narrative, I think an approach to the documentary in which there are still tools that help to read the photos, what other dynamics may arise to facilitate the reading of documentary images?
more teamwork, more interest and responsibility for the task or job images. Rafael Lacau, venezonalo guest said it very clearly, talking about his project Ancla2 said something like offer a version and a way to make the image. For Ancla2, each child may have an occupational choice, instead of the street or crime. Jokingly we called to put an option to photography is not really good and what is created is a real criminal, traditional photographers are left without jobs and this is real. Well, thing apart and back to the question, there are many dynamics that go through the issue of alignment with the image and its discussion forums, readings portfolios, political and social understanding the image, use or at least approach or understand emerging technologies are just tools like the camera. They are not the panacea and that must be clear. But all this falls into dead words if there is no dialogue, that is about the industries involved, from those with more time and experience with the image and those who are starting. In other words, we must take responsibility with a project and be able to identify the role that each. Wait until you get one whole is a very comfortable position.
Mayerlin quintero vine - 12 years old, blind (ancla2 Venezuela)
The photos submitted are absences, attendances, emergency , intimacies, humanism and margins, how to get the public recognition of these and other sights of work documentaries?
The first thing that comes to mind is that it is a long and patience. I do not think about getting an education proposal as if to bring light to the world and try to kill the "ignorance", let us first that if people are interested in approaching this whole process easier. already about the structure of the event refers, it was possible that each work is accompanied by a context that helps us better understand what I was seeing, but we must recognize that in some cases documentary projects not had. But, considering the totality of the photodocumentary 2009, for this is the event catalog (for free distribution by sponsors).
An aide said the meeting with respect to digital, "lots of pictures, no pictures, it appears that the format does not have time to view the photos carefully, is it really the most appropriate such meetings?
All this can be summarized with a strong argument for an organizer, production costs are lower but not significantly. Production work is exactly the same as if he brought a sample to ensure quality physical and the projections opted to work on DVD's from HD video and that takes resources. But staying in this answer is too simple, does not do justice to the interests involved.
On the other hand, I find it quite curious that there were different reactions around the format chosen for the event. A woman of almost 70 years told me "this way to see the photos I found very good, I had to move around the room, it is more convenient and time to see them forced me to be more aware." And of course, other opinions say that one has the right to grant to each photo as long as you want or deserve. One would think that it is attached to the technologies for a generational issue, but it is of course not. If you ask me which of the two opinions I stay. I answer that with two. Why? All forms of physical and digital presentation will talk about. Has been good or bad choice of project photos, I'm happy for two reasons: it included other venues outside of Quito and has been on the agenda for discussion photo this topic. Of course, in systems which are of interest.
Of course there is nothing like seeing a physical sample printed and installed, but there is also the possibility of marvel with good projection. Times change perception of the works and possibly this will facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the project presented. I had a very classical training in photography, which I deny that at all, but I think it cost me a lot of other possibilities open up to see photo and now they are submitted. For example, Thomas Munita, Chilean its draft "guano collectors in Peru accepted the invitation to showcase their work only because he was in the form of projections and he has to be a Leica Award, which handles a purist ethics and aesthetics, to Bresson, would have none of views. How to respond to this?
Finally I think it is worth mentioning, for the happiness of many, who takes up the physical signs in the following editions of photo documentaries, at least for 2011, but no samples are left digital, first because there are projects that use sound to complement the limited that it can be a still image, and secondly because I do believe that these ways of presenting more democratizing access to photograph. Since the work of cultural transmission and generator cultural policies, it must break with the centralist ideas with which we are accustomed to coexist. There are many people interested in cultural activities beyond the borders of Quito.
collection of guano - Thomas Munita (Peru - Chile)
do you think that documentary photography is an art?, Why?
Chuta, this seemed like one of those questions that come out in defense of a degree as to see if you go off well or not ... Let me get this achievement. personally believe that documentary photography is not without a heavy load of aestheticism and sometimes exquisite compositional and in that sense I think many times artistic approaches. But I also believe that we must not fall into the trap of declaring all art and more if this is intended as a possible solution to the urgency of providing new goods for a well-worn art market. The thing about photography is that reproducibility may be subject to repeat sales and raise its status is selling copies signed by the author. How good would this mean for the image? I think the photo should be free of any label and each operator / as engaged to do the job that you like or he likes and then the curators, curators or whatever you call it, is dedicated to locating the works in the circuits they deem appropriate. I know photographers who have been resistant to certain types of labels and who have refused to sell pictures. But within the commercial and consumer logic in which we are immersed, it is the strongest way there. For example, Christie's, the famous auction house and others, are full of cases of sale, purchase and extortion by works that no one knew where it came, then, from there, it seems to me highly problematic the art. I also believe that yes I should mention that there are many false views about this, as Duane Michals said in an interview "at age 25 want to be famous artists and 32 to look back" as he considers it a matter of time and maturity , which I fully share. I think this is the eternal debate. Is it art to sell the misery of another? Eugene Smith already said, unfortunately, poverty is highly aesthetic and each one must decide what to do with that aesthetic.
Quito, November 2009
