ão Salgado- An Uncertain Truth.
Oaxaca, Mexico, 1980.
These two men are in the middle of a thanksgiving prayer, thanking the Mixe god Kioga for a year of good harvest and asking for another to follow.
This was one of the easier images to look at in the book. It combines human and nature- showing these men in a humble moment. It has an airy, mystical quality. The background seems to go on forever- making you wonder what the scenery is like and how long it extends. The photo is balanced from left to right with the use of the trees. The two men seem at one with the trees, and take on a similar shape. Instead of a photo with a huge city and city life, this goes back to the roots.
I also chose this image to signify how the artist, Sebastião Salgado, affects me. The rest of his work is blunt and honest, showing human suffering. He photographs starving children of Ethiopia, among others, that is very hard to look at. Of all the photographers I looked through, this one had the greatest emotional impact on me. He captures the dignity of any people he photographs, even in the worst of times. Although these people are striped of everything, they have their dignity left. This makes you reflect back on your own life and think about your problems and how insignificant they truly are.
One thing that really sticks out with all his works is eye contact. His subjects look the viewer straight in the eye, engaging them to the fullest extent. They say this is how I am, not asking for pity or forgiveness, but showing themselves how they are. This act deserves
the highest respect. It is hard for people to look at images of Sebastião Salgado, they certainly contract an emotional reaction. By showing this people, he is capturing their true beauty and giving them honor, respect and dignity. It is a different beauty from what we see every day in America.There is a story he tells of a poor fisherman selling his fish. A young gentleman offered to buy all of them at any price the fisherman asked. However, the fisherman would not sell them because he did not like the gentleman- he explained he was "the master of my (his) own hunger". This shows the respect people have for themselves and their everlasting dignity. If you have nothing else, you must continue on with that.
You can check out his page: http://www.terra.com.br/sebastiaosalgado/index.htm
2 comments:
Nice post. I love Salgado's work. So moving.
Sometimes it's hard to look at photos such as Salgado's. Most people don't want to be subjected to human suffering...but it is a reality that needs to be documented. I came across many photos during the assignment that shocked, moved and momentarily immobilized me. That's when you know a photographer has done his job.
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