Manuel Vazquez
Manuel Vazquez’’s project “Traces” is quite excellent. Snapshots of light that barely show the people walking along the composition. Very original and distinctive, a series to remember.
[EV +/-] Exposure Compensation of photography and photographers
Media Partners
A very nice series indeed, but, with all due respect, hardly “original”. It is remarkably reminiscent of Ray K. Metzker’’s work from the 60′’s, 70′’s and 80′’s, as are Vazquez’’s series “Commuters” and “Frames”.
Thanks Robert for the info. Yes, it is reminiscent o some images Ray Metzker although to me they are quite different, but I don””t know the work of R. Metzker in detail. Do you like to point to any image online?
Warm regards,
Miguel
His work is scarce online. May I email you some small jpegs scanned from a book? Please feel free to email me as well.
Selected scans (I apologize for the poor quality) from Metzker’’s “City Stills”
http://picasaweb.google.com/fatunga/Metzker?authkey=Gv1sRgCN3orruchfCOkgE&feat=directlink
Other Metzker on line:
http://www.locksgallery.com/artists/metzker/works.html
Best regards,
Robert
Thanks very much Robert. I appreciate that you shared some images by Metzker. Yes, I can see the similarities. It is interesting that Manuel did not know about Metzker’’s work neither.
Thanks very much again,
Miguel
You are welcome, Miguel.
By the way, I have no issues with any artist taking up where another artist has left off and carrying on, responding to or transforming those ideas and themes in an honest way. My only quibble here was that I felt that your phrase “very original” overlooked a great photographer and an important and innovative body of work.
I am surprised that Manuel was unfamiliar with Metzker’’s work. I trust that he is pleased to know of a kindred spirit. I think that his series “Commuters” and “Frames” are even more evocative of Metzker than “Traces”. As far as I know, Mr. Metzker is still making art.
Best wishes,
Robert
From Mr. Vazquez’’s project description on his website:
“This project researches the visual traces that are left in public places. Traces looks at the city as a theatrical scenario created with those visual codes, a ´theatrum mundi` . Here, each image is a montage of single photographs…”
I would be interested to know as what point the author feels his photograph’’s are merely assemblages or reconstructions in order to achieve a certain desired conceptual effect , rather than depicting an event that is genuinely happening at a specific time and place. Why not take the challenge and try to capture these desired moments when they are actually happening, instead of using montage of single images to get the effect you desire?
This is very nice work and it does indeed bring Ray K. Metzker’s work to mind. BTW “Light Lines” is a great book on Metzker’s work. I also thought of two other photographers that have made some great work using light and shadow on the streets. Fan Ho and especially Trent Parke.