Russell Monk Portraits in Mexico

[bob carnie]

This is about a body of work I have printed for Russell, currently it is in Louisville.
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/neighborly-portraits-in-mexico/
This is an ongoing series with a few more series to be added over the years.

[Wayne Lambert]

Many years ago when I was just beginning to photograph in Mexico I took a TLR close-up of a blind street musician without his knowledge. I've always regretted it because I knew he didn't know what I was doing. And worse, I was just making a stereotype of him. I feel the same way about Monk's photographs. I don't think the subjects quite know what he is doing. And in large part I think he is just putting our images on them. Beautiful prints, but the concept bothers me.
Wayne

[Kirk Gittings]

I like that work allot.

[matthew blais]

Nice work...thanks for the link

[Kirk Gittings]

Wayne, I find them quite fun and "neighborly" rather than sly and exploitive. San Miguel de Allende is not the backwater it once was and the people, even the poor people are much more worldly and savy than they were. Monk says (and I find it quite believable):

“I can only take these pictures because of the level of intimacy with the people in the area,” he said. “You just can’t jet into a place. Well, you could, but it wouldn’t be as good.”

Looks like great prints Bob.

[Wayne Lambert]

I don't know, Kirk. You're right, San Miguel is not a backwater. Actually most of the time it seems to be inhabited by Houston, or Dallas. But look at the old man with the garlics around his neck. Of course we don't know what he is thinking, but I've known many men like him, and younger, and they would probably be thinking that they are being photographed for more conventional, or may I say, innocent, reasons. And that's what bothers me. What they think is happening and what is happening are pretty much two different things. But perhaps Monk has done his homework, and everybody is clued in. Perhaps I'm too close to Mexico and over-sensitive. I'm certainly not wanting to put limits on photography.
Also, it will be interesting to see how these photographs, as made by an outsider, will go over with the Mexican intelligentsia. Perhaps we will see.
Wayne

[Jay DeFehr]

Nice printing, Bob, but the work leaves me cold.

[Sheldon N]

What format is he shooting with?

[bob carnie]

Rollie flex and predominately Tri X in D76 or Pyro .
Russell has lived in that town in Mexico for over 10 years, working from Toronto for commercial work . He travels quite a bit and my connection goes back to the early 90's. He has quite a few portfolios of Mexico, dating back to the mid 80's. The next series will be colour images of Cantennas(sp) in Mexico, which I plan to print in tri colour gum or carbon.
All prints are on Ilford Warmtone with a slight bleach sepia and then selenium.
This body of work is in Louisville currently.
We would like to move it to other cities,,, any takers?

What format is he shooting with?

[matthew blais]

Try contacting the UCMP (Univ of Cal Riverside Museum of Photography)
I'd love to see this exhibit here.. :)