Nescafe Takes Over

I made this photograph on a long walk throughout my neighborhood, Chapalita, on a search for my subject. I had been feeling extremely lost within my photography and therefore, with my art in general (especially painting). I did not know what my photographs were about, or what I wanted them to say. I was in desperate need for some focus, direction, and meaningful content. After a long talk I had that day with my photography professor, I had a better understanding of what I needed to do to find "what makes me tick." He asked me what pisses me off, what do I love, what interests me here in Mexico. I was very unsure, a feeling I hate and encounter much to often, so I was feeling discouraged and a little bit in a funk. We decided that I just needed to go out and make some pictures. Entonces, that night I went on a photoshoot and little by little became inspired.

I continued to discover GARBAGE. Garbage- everywhere. Mexico is a beautiful country with a lot to offer, but it sure isn't clean. I did not pay much attention to the amount of garbage everywhere until I saw this first Nescafe coffee cup resting in a tree trunk that was missing its beloved body. I shot the photograph from many different vantage points and tried a few photos with different frames- my prof told me to shoot what my first instinct tells me, but then try one or two more shots that are much different (whether it be the framing, vantage point, focus, etc). This ended up being my favorite photograph of that day. It says so much about how we trash our environment and ruin beautiful, powerful trees and for what? Well, houses, powerlines, trash, paper towels........... When I looked at the rings of the tree trunk and saw how deep the splitting was, I thought to myself that this Nescafe cup and all the wrappers in the crevices broke the tree- they split it further and further. Physically, that is probably a bit crazy, but at least metaphorically, this garbage- this weightless shit is tearing this incredibly strong and beautiful tree trunk apart.

So, I have found a few things that I am really looking into here in Mexico. The environment (more specifically garbage and I want to explore some ideas regarding the POWER of mother nature, which I will get to), religion, and identity (female identity and issues relating to nationalism and what it means to be an "United Statesian" and "Mexican" (since we are both American). So, more to come with photographs addressing those concepts.

this photo... During my critique in class, one of the students from ITESO (the University I am studying at in Mexico) made an interesting comment about garbage in Mexico. He said that it is kind of like if you place your garbage within the environment it doesn't seem like you are littering, maybe you feel a bit less guilty about it, as if you are hiding it or making it blend in. That is why you often see a coke can stuck inside a fence or a snickers wrapper stuffed in a tree hole.

Still- people, THROW AWAY YOUR TRASH.
Though it does make for some interesting photographs :)

More to come! (I must be more diligent about my blog, as I have had some wonderful experiences and have more photos to share).

Love, Danielle