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    © All Rights Reserved
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    15 views17 pages

    Metinides Book

    Uploaded by

    claudio6zaldivar6ara
    Metinides book

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 17
    FOREWORD “We've looked at hundreds of erash sequenees, Cars with ears. Cars with trucks. Trucks with buses, Motoreyeles with cars. Cars vi Trueks with trucks” Don DLita Tums out the Old Masters could be wrong, afterall, about sullering. As famously evoked by W.H. Auden, everyone “turns away / Quite leisurely from the disaster" ftheboy falling out ofthe sky in Brueghe’searus. Asrecorded by Enrique Metinides such incidents attract crowds of spectators whose faces refleet our own shocked fascination with carn ‘Tosay that his pieturesare sensationalist orexploitativeistoutterabanality alongcthe lines of" Pain hurts” But by implicating usin the reeiprocity of gasp - onlookers stare blankly atthe camera; we stare back, our eyes flicking from themtothemangled eyetstin the foreground - the picturesexemptthemselves (and us) from the hypocrisy merelessly exposed by Thomas Bernhard in his final novel £2tinetion.‘The narrators parents have been killed in a ear wreck and he is appalled by the "ruthless eruclty” of the tabloid press and their ‘bom nable pietures"of the death-seene. “They even printed a large photograph of my mother’ headless body. I sguved at this pictute fora long time, though allthis time was naturally afraid that someone might come into the kitchen and catch me at it. Each paper felt obliged to outdo the nestin vulgarity. Family wiped out, screamed oneheadline,under hich I read, Thrveconcert-gorrsmutilat ced beyond recognition. Full report and pictures centre pages. Lat once searched for the centre pages, shamelessly leafing through the paperto find thillustrated report promised on the front page and simultaneously keeping my eye on the kitchen door, fearful of being caughtin the act. 1 mustn't immerse msof entirely in these reports ofthe accident, I told myself as may not noticeifsomeone comes intothekitchen andeatches meat it Eqged on by Bernhard onemight as wellconeede that thereisan absurdand, by extension, perversely humorous side to Metinides’ work. The gathered crowds often have something in common with the people glimpsed in the background fof photos of a fisherman who has had the good fortune to land « record breaking masin, inboth circumstances spectatingbecomesa form of vicarious participation. Metinides has said that he has “photographed everything exept 8 spaceship or submarine collision” but his pictures of upended buses often look tke a meteorite has come erashing out of space and landed in Mesieo City. PRotoco “Hemoscontemplado cientos de aceidentes. Decoches con coches. Decoches con ‘camiones, Decoriones con antobuses, De motocicletas on coches. De coches ‘om helicdpteroe. Decamionescon camianes.” on Det Despuede todo, resulta que tal vezlos marsiros antiguos podrian estar equiv ceados en lo tocante al sufrimienta, Como evaca la célebre frase de WH. Auden “todo se aleja/ pausadamente del desastre”aludiendo al chico que se precipita desde ielaen e earo de Brueghel. Como ha comprobado Enrique Metinides, tales incidentesatraen a multitud de espectadorescuyosrostosreflejan nuestra propia fascinaciém horrorizada por la masacre, Decir que sue fotografias son sonsacionalstas o explotadoras seria una perogrullada semejante a aftrmar que ‘el dolor duele™ No obstante, al impli carnosen la reiprocidad del aturdinniento losespectadores mivan fijanentea Lacdmaraconiaincomprensién dibnjadacnelsemblante;mosotroslesdevolve: ‘mos ta mirada, conduciendo fa vista desde ellos hacia el cilista que aparece destrozado en primer plano), las fotografias se eximen a si mismas (ye lav nos eximen a todos) de esa hipocresta que de forma tan implacable plasma Thomas Berahard ensu iltima novela ttulada Extinction, Los padres del war rador han fallecido en wn accident de coche y queda hovrorisado ante la “erweldad despiadada” de la prensa sensacionalista y sue “espantosas foto grafias"delacscena delsiniestro Llegavon a publicar incluso wna fotografia en tamaito ampliade det cadéversincabesa demi meulre. Mequedéobservandoaguella fotografia tun buen rato, si bien durante todo ese tiempo tem, naturalmente, que alguien pudiera entraren la cocina y pillarme...Cada periédico paresia obligadoa superar la vulgaridad detanterior. Familia destrozada, reeaba un titular; bajo elcual se tia: "Tres personas que se dirigian aun conctor- toquedan mutiladas hastael puntode resultarirreconocibles. Reportaje ‘completa yfotografiasen piginascentrales. nmediatamente busqé tax ginascentrales,hojeando et peridice sin ningsin tipo de puder hasta darcowel reportajeilustradoque prometiala portadasin perderdevista a puerta de la cocina, temeroso de que alguien pudiere pillarme in fraganti. No debo enfrascarme demasiado en estos reportajes sobre el ‘aceidente-medijeamimisma-,nosea queentrealguien en lacocina sin queyomedécuentay mecajan porsorpresa. Incite por Bernhard, uno podria incluso reconocer que a obra de Metinides ene un toque de humor absurdo y, por extensién, perverse. A menudo, las his other-worldly quality achieved, parts by hisuse of daylight lash ~lends themanaurathatishoth filmic and religious. od many of Metinides’ pictures look not so much Fike fil stills as sil lms. Perhaps this is why; on occasion, they are reminiscent of images by Jeff Wall \who operatesin exactly this idiom of artiticallyenbanced reality. The difference is that while Wall’ tableaux are resolutely enigmatic Metinides seeks, always, toclucidate. In this sense it eould be sad, he isa reporter rather than an artist. People caught up in disasters often say that it was like being in a movie Butas wellas being thesource ofa peculiar kind ofinformation about the world and its ways, his pictures also offer gory solace ~ in the form af knowledge “Maybe this is one of the reasons the crowd gazes at the photographer: in the hope that he ean provide an answer as to why such terrible things happen Metinides does hisbest to oblige. Inthissense, heisastorteller, INDUSTRIAL MUERTO Ok BRUTALES GOLPES isstories often involvea bus, Whereas many people spend theirlives wait ing for buses, ile, for Metinides, isan aceldemt waiting to happen, Basieally, the bus brings the two together with devastating effect. Anyone who has travelled in Mexico will be familiar with the way these buses speed and surge around curving mountain voads. The in 1s that your chances of survival are as dependent on the image of the Virgin swaying from the rear-view as they are on the driver oF his brakes creates a weird sensation of hope, dread and resignation. The focling is allied, in this part of the world, to the “deep, convietio as Cormac McCarthy patsit ~"that nothing can be proven except thatit be madetobleed. Virgins, bulls, en. Uhimately God himsel” The causes ofthebleeding, obsessively ecarded by Metinides, are ridiculous asoftemasthey are tragic. conflagration ata gasstation, we learn, wasstarted by two young men, who drove off without paying but wivh the hose tillin their petrol tank. (Imagine that in a movie, ideally one by Gonzalez tnarritn,) By explaining and giving meaning to the permutations of random disaster, the pictures’ captions offer the viewer an empirical equivalent of the faith that consolesthe peapleii them. Knowing what happened stands in forthe need to understand iohy it happened. Most ofthe photographs take placeafterthe fet ~afterthestabbingor crash ~ but the outcome ean rarely be assumed, A plane ploughs into afield, killing everyone onboard. A plane erashlands om th livesatelost, Whatcan wededuce from the forensic-artisticevidence offered by these twinned images of hazard? In Metinides’ view an accident is bath nevitable and avoidablein thesense thatit could have been avoideditit hadn't |happened, Out of thisemerges theinterminglingof chance and logicotherwise known as fate, Metinides shows us not only what itlooks like but ~ and thi the twistof theartist-how torecognise it Mesieo-Pucbla highway and no Geesf Dyer striata mardered agrupectonca de espectadorsguardan coun conn on las pervones que te aadivinanencl segundo plano de ne ografa de, pongamos, un pecadar que shubieretenidota buenafortanadesacar del agean Marlin gigante.Buamtos casos, mirar se concert en una forma de partcipacton indiecta. Metinidex segura haberlo Potogrefiada todo salvo ta clsion denna nave epaciat ode tnsubmarino! Sin embargacon frecuencia lovantobwsesoleadosqucaparcen nau fotografioseeverdan a metortos que se hubicran pecpitado deel espacio y hubieran aterrzado en la Cadi de Mésic. Este efoto “de otro mundo" queseconsiguecn parte gracaselusodeflesheon uzdiurna,apertaa sfolografiasunacspeiede one tantefitmicacomarbgisa “Las personas que an sid vietimasde wn siesta suelen desribirsu cope siencia como “tar viviendo wna pelicula” y,clertamente, muchas de les flografia de Metinides ve aprosinan ind @ tas peliculas quiets gue alos “otogramascinematogrfcos. Tat ve seaéteetmotivoporel ualenocesione, ‘usfotograjasreuerdan tasimégenes deJej Wall quiencultioaprecisemente ese mismo ctlode realidad realzada deforma artificial La diferencia estriba que, mientras que ls retabos de Wall son defintiaraent enig dies, la {ntencin de Metinides es siempre le de esclarecer En eae sentido, podria dere ques trata ris bien de un peradista que de nn artista Noobsante, adends deer a fuente deun tipo deingormacién pecutiar sobre el mundo ylo queen lacontece, su fotografia ofrcen tambien un consuel sangrinto, en Jornadeconociniento, Quisissea étaunadelosrazonesporleaqueelpiblico deewelsehaciaelfotégraforconlacsperansade que ite pueda darena respuesta a la pregunta de por qué curren als tragedies. ¥ Metinides have todo lo que estéensumano por ermplaceracste pbc. Enestesentiecsen narrador En sus historias cast siempre suele haber un extobis, Mientras muchas personas pasar la vida experandaantobuses, pa Metinides tides un decidente a punto de acurrir Principalment, el autobis hace que ambos conjlayen, productendo en consscuenia un efeta devastador. Cualguiera {te haya vigjado por México conae et mado en que lox axtobusesaesleran Auelantan por Toa serpenteontescarsteredecao puerto de montana. Las sac de que tus posbildader de sbrevivirdepencen en igual medida dela ‘inaen dela Virgen qu se saranda ene espe retrovizor ydelconductorode los frenas del wehieulo produce un extra sentiment, mela de espera, terror y rsignaién. En ete rineén del mundo, dicho sentimieno ext muy ‘igo ata “prfunda eonicion’ en palabras de Cormac MeCarthy, de que “nada puede probarse a menos que aca susceptible de sangrar: la Virgen, os ‘ores oshombres. nila instance misaisiro Dios” Las eausas de las excenas sangrientas que Metinides reoge de manera Obsesiva sone mesude ridiculasy hasta legan asertrigicas.Avideveubrinoy, ‘por ejemplo, que le conflagracién que se prodijo.en una gasolinera ve debiéa dos jécenes que pretendian marcharse sin pagar y olvidaron sacar la rmangrera de! depésito de su coche. (Imagineseexa excene en une pelicnto, especialinenteen une de GonalesIAdrvitu Alerpicary dotardesignificadoa tay variantes det devastre alatori, lar pies de la forografias afrecen a los lectores el equivatente empirico deta fé que consueta a las vietimas de dicho Adesastre, Saber qué veurriésustituye a la necesita de comprender por qué oucedi, La mayoria dela fotografia son posteriores los hechos (posteriores un ‘apunatamiento,a un accidente te.) peroel resultado es raramente pradecible. Unavién eeestreltaen un prado ymosobrevive ningumo de sus pasjeros. Otro avin reatica wn aterrizaje forse en la carretera de México-Puebla sin provocar una sola vietima mortal. Qué se puede deduetr a partir de las (pruebas forenses artistas que nos presentan estas imagenes paralelas del peligro? Segiin Metinidee,un accidents ex ala vex evitablee inevitable, puesto ‘que podvia haberse evitado de no haberse precio, Deal surge esa ombi- avin de earualidad 1 ligica que otros denominan destino. Metinides no se limita mostrarnos su aporiencta, sino queademés nox enseia a recanacero Ahiyaceelgeniode artista. Geof Dyer ENRIQUE METINIDES Interviewed by / Entrevistado por Gabriel Kuri ‘Anyone living in Mexico City would have seen Enrique Metinides’ photos ~ Gaily and for years - on the front page of the newspaper La Prensa. I would venture to ay, however, that no one associated the images witha creator. The first ime I became fully aware ofthe author behind the pictures was when T ‘went to seea collection ofthem on display inanart gallery (the MuseumofArts and Sciences atthe National Autonomous University of Mesieo) Te was an impressive experie _graphers aim fortoday~not to riention ereativeartissinalldseiplines-notin ‘a studied oF self-conscious was, but rather by incarnating a sense of urgeney land gerne obsession. also realized that reducing over half a century of {incessant photography to asmallseleetion ofimages ean offerno morethan meres glimpse into his huge universe, For his part, Metinides is not entirely convinced by the new implications and readings these changes of contest bring to his work, But through his obstinate demeanour something ele seeps ‘through, which one soon appreciates. As well as being obstinate, Metinides is, lucid and eloquent Hehasadeep understanding ofthe hurnan heart (its nobility ‘andits corruption). Hedoesitlosethe thread ofthe conversation fora second, . His images contain what so many working photo- and relates, withthe same detail as his images, the history ofeach ease. Due 10 his wide experience he doesn trust just anyone, and knows the vicissitudes of the profession more than most For more than five decades Metinides worked very closely with all sorts of| rescie workers. Asa photographer, he felt his roletobe closer to that ofa ire- fl sentinel than a paparazzo, ‘The thousands of photos he produced reveal an intensely human involvement with his subjects, as well asa habit of dogged professionalism, He used tosleep with the radio tuted into the frequencies ofthe Red Cross, the fire service and the police, whiel hed hear through his sleep. And it wast ‘unusual for him to get up in the middle ofthe night several times asweek to go and photograph someevent. Duetohisrepeated presence on the front page of 4 Prensaandothernews- papers w terthananopinionated onlookerand, atthe sume tim, more ikea watehful .nemphasison crite, Metinides was a key figute in defining the Cuatquier habitante de la ciudad de Mérieo, a diarto y durante aos, v6 las {fotografiasdde Enrique Metinides en la primera plana del periéico La Prensa, Meatreveria a decir sin embargo, que nadie asocia las imeigenes.con un autor. Laprimera ve:queyo ture plena nocidn desu antoria,fuéal verunconjuntode fésto8 montadasen un museo de arte (Museo Universitaria de Ciencias y Artes, México DF). La experiencia fuécontunente,Susimdgenes tienen aquello que uscan tantosfotégrafes acticos hay en dia -por noagregar creadaresde todas Aisciplinas ~ pero no de mado extudiado o, por atin, impostado, sine como retratodelaurgenciay procuctode la obsesién legitima. También medicuenta ddeque evisar mésde medio siglodefotogratiaincesantea partir de unaseuan: tasimdgenes~comoeseleaso también de wn libro- nodejadleser una veduecin caprichosa y solo un avistamiento de su vastisimo universo. For sn pete, Metinides no extd dl todo de acuerto con las nuevas implicaciones y lecturas queletruenasuobraestoscambioede contexte. Peroalgo transpiraensuairede terquedad, queuno notardaenapreciar Metinides es obstinad, Vicido y elocuente, entiende a fondo el corassn umano(su noblesay sucorrupcisn). no pierdeel hiloniun segundo en concer saci, y relata com el iam dealleque sus imeigenes la historia decada caso, Porta experiencia que tiene, nose fia de-cualgniera,yconoce las vicistudes de tna profesién, como mny pocoxpodvian presvnir Metinides trabajé, durante més de 5 décadas, pegado a socorvistas de todo tipo. Comafatigrafo intuyé.sntarea mds cereana a Tadel bombero quea le det Juez ocular, y més al serena queal paparaszo.Los millares de fotos que prodije Udelaten wn incolucramiento intensanente humano con lo retratado, aderis deun hdbito decntrega profesional prueba debates ya su costumbre dormir con tas freeuencias radiofénicas encendidas dela a, bomberos y polief, Jae ewales oia entre euchos. ¥ no era rare que varias veces en und semana selevantara a media noche para ira folografiar agin caso. Porsu reterada presencia en las portadas de La Prensa y otros diarios de évfass policiaco, Metinidesfuélaveen ladefinicién dele nokaroj. Este del periodismo,equivalenteal tabloiden Estados Unidaso Inglaterra (no en la nota raja. This genre of journalism, equivalent to the tabloids inthe United States or England (not thematically, but in thee slarmism and populism) in contrast, does not concern itslf with sexual scandals or the secrets and set- backs ofeelebrities. Thenova ejaappealsto the weader'sbasestinstinets. These papers peer at the incomprehensible: violent death, catastrophe and suering, almost always of regular, average people. In its heyday from the fifties tothe seventies, La Prensa sold more copies than the three most prestigious dail papers combined, and its reputation is stil indisputable today. ehsonicl of isasters the nota oj has been to journalism what the corrido is to popular ‘musi. Thisformala ofa simple, direet ballad remainsvalid and anchored inthe people’staste In corridos, the narrative drama ofepisodes ofheroesandillains ‘snever short of bullets, accidents and death ~orblack humo bras not changed with time, itis simply just ke the fromt page of the paper, clothed theeasesof the day ‘Since Metinides retired from photojournalism, approsimatelyssyearsago, cireumnstances have changed substantially This coincidence makes hisabsenee fram the medium appear prophetic, or perhaps simpy opportine.On the one hhandis theease with which images ean be manipulated using digital technology, con theother, the nstantaneoustransmission ofan imageby way ofthe: Perhapsthe most significantchange’stheimmsinentdiseppearanceofthekind ofimageshemade. In pastdecadesthe ivefightersand polceallowed,andeven helped, the photosraphertoapproachtheseencoftheerime:togettotheburning ‘oiling, among the rubble, orinsidethecrushed vehicle Today thisisprohibe ited, these scencsarecondonedoffata distanceandaccessisseverely restricted. Despite the fact that similar events occur with the same frequency, photo- zraphs like Metinides’ are disappearing from the eatalogue of images ofthe present, condemning usto associate scenes of ear erashes, crimes nd disasters ~ along with ther attendant automotive models, famous buildings, fashions and hairstyles with past decades. ‘One ofthe consequenees of the genre Metinides eultivated for decades ean bbe seen today in the growing public interest in reelty television. Programmes ‘of amateur or aecidental videos, capturing the commission and consequences cof crime, orthe eye of a hurricane, or even those shows where normal people confesstheirscerets and ai ther calamities before astudio audience, arewhat provide the dil re Paradoxically this has had repercussions in the format of news pro _rammes. The appetite with whieh the speculateon the profitability that their airtime gamersfrom drama captured atthe very momentit oceurs,tumsthese reporters into producers of disastrous news and turns these events into marketable commodities. For their par, the perpetrators the attacks of September are the universal example ~ now take advantage ofthe coverage and the formats ofthe programmes to send their message, making theequation ~andits form ied dose of veracity inthe television viewer's diet temética, maxsten lalarmismoyelarrastre).encontroste, no habla de sea dalittossexwales 0 le os seeretos y troplesos de las celebridades, La nota roja ape a los mas bajos instintos de lector Se asoma a lo incomprensible: fa ‘muerte wilenta, la catéstrofey el nuftiméento de, casi siempre, gente comin y corviente. En su augeentre lox 50y 70, La Prensa vendia més quelasuma delos tres diarios de mayor prestigio periodistico del pais. Actuatmente su famaes {talavia indiscutible En tanto crimiea de desastres, ta nota roja ha sido at periédico,loque corride. ta maisea popular Eta formula decaneiénerinien simple y directa, permanece vigente y anclada en el gusto del pueblo. Er ls corridos, el drama narrativo de episodios de heroes y villanos winea esté desprovisto de balas, aeilentesy muertos ~ come de humor negro ~y suforma no varia conel paso del tiempo, simplemente, aligualqueta planadel diario, se viatecon loscarosddol momenta. Desiieque Metinides seretirédelquehacerotovreporteril,haceaprovimada: ‘mente seis ais, las eireunstancias han cambindo sustancialmente. La coincidencia hace parecer su alejamiento del medio como also profético, 0 simplemente oportuno. Par un lado, a facilidad de manipular la imagen fotogrdjica con teenologta digital, por otro, le transmisién instantdnea de ésta imagen por internet. Quisd ef cambio mas significative sea la inminente desaparicion de ipo de imagenes que él realicabe det vetrato del presente, En décadas pasadas, los bomberos y polefas permitian y hasta eyudaban al foté- sgrafo a acercarsea la escena del rimen, meterse a edificioen llamas, entre ls ‘escomibros,o dentro delwveicuto aptastado. Hoyen dia estoesté prohibido, cea scenarios se acordonan a distancia y el acceso es celosamentevestringido. No obstanteeasoveomoestos ceurren con la misma freuencia fotograffas eno las dde Metinides estin desapareciendo del catélogo de inigenes del presente condenéndonos a asociar las excenas dle chogues, erimenesy desastres~ junto ‘on sus modelos de autos, sus edificioe farosos, atuendos y peinados ~ con décadasposadas Una deus consecuenecian del género que Metinides culties durante décadas, seve hoy en lerecienteinterésdelpiblio porelefcto realidad en latelevsién Los programas de video aficionado o incidental captandlo la comisién, perse- cueién y consecnencia de un delito, el paso de wn hnracén, 0 incluso aquellos donde a gentenormalconfiesa anteel pdblicoenelestudto sussecretosoventita susculamidades, abastececen ladosisdiaria le veracidad requeridaenladieta deltelevidente Paraaéjicasnenteesto ha repereutida también en los formatordelosprograe ‘mas noticiosos.Elapetitoconelqueespeeulan sobretarentabitidadquedaas: tiempo aire el drama capturado.a! momenta, convierte alos informadares.en agentes en ta produecién deta noticia desastrose, yen la eomversién de tales ‘casos en un bien comodificable. Porsu parte lox perpetrantes- los atagues det 11 de septiembre son el ¢jemplo universal - ahora aprovechan la coberturay los of the catastrophe-newsohjective tagonistas muchas thatofthecommunicaton). These days, now from his house, Metinides continues to be fixated by disasters made news. A growing collection of more than 250 video eassettes ~ some 250 to date ~ here he records and classifies programmes of erashes, Inarsicanes, eartbavakes, voleanie erupt dictators, grows day by day. When programmes overlap, he even absorbs information fom several televisions, radios and video recorders at atime. “Alongside the habit ofcollecting fetson camera, healvaysbeenaeollestor ofohjects. nhishousehe ssurrounded by 3,000 modelambulaneeszad police cars, as wellas paraphernalia from the reseue corps allkindsof frogs, dolls fig ures, masks and other variationsofhis obsession. “The quantity of themes one could cover fally in a conversation with Metinides, he tothe manyand intonse years ofhis eareer.is interminable, He lvay’sbas an opinion, hecontra he broudest ‘question, allows detailed glimpses of the imprint of his exceptional proximity todrama lation till clearer (objective ofthe oF the activities of murderous $s, imtecruptsand,inanswer formatos de lo programas parn mandar su mensaje, dejando més claras las enaciones de relacién catdstrafe-noticia-objetieo (objetive tanto del protagantstaconuadelcomunicader Ala fecha y desde su casa, Metinides no cesa en su fjaci6n por el desastre echo oticia. La coleccin de mis de 250 videocasets que graba y elasfiew de programas de cheques, huracanes,sismos,erupeiones volednicas, 0 biografias de dictadores avesinos, eeee todos ls dias. Cuando se empatina ta progr ‘cin, incluso registraen variosaparatosala ves Siempre acompenando el habito de capturar ef dato con ta edimara, ha tenida ol de coleccionar objeto. En su casa lo rodeam 4000 armbulencias de _ntguete y carros de policia, ademas de parafernalia de las corporaciones de ‘rescate,ranusde todos tipes, muiteros figuras, mdsearas y otras matices de tt “obsesién. La cantidad de temas que pacrian cubrirse cababmente al cncersar con Metinides, porsus muchos, agndosanosde rayectoria,es interminable. ‘Siempre opina, contradice,interrunpe, yen la respuesta a la peguenta ms ana deja entrever con todo detalle, la huella que ha dejado su excepcionat cereaniaconeldrame. Kuri: Let’sbegin by talking about your photographic technique. Where does yourstyleeame rom? Metinides: 1 based my photographs on blacleand-white action movies, detective pietures and gangster films. 1 liked how the directors took into con- sideration the people’ reactions. There'sascenein akeyflmofabuilding being burned! down fore vendetta, in which the lames are seen ony reflected on the aces ofthe witnesses. That’ where you learned how to narrate particular situation, a story from ‘one evocative image? Ves, and also from the American magesines I used to buy wa boy 10 se howe the American photographers seorted and sohat I learned from my teachers lke Antonio" tndia” Veldzques Kuri: Empecemoeporhablardetéenica fotogrifica,édedtinde vienetu estilo? Metinides: Para mis foogafias me basé en peliculas de acein en blanco y negto,polciaeas y de gangsters. Me gustaba cémo los directores to cuenta las reacciones de la gente. En una pelicula que fue definitiva, hay una escena de una vendetta en la que incendian un edifcio, que silo se ve a reflejarse ls llamas sobre lscarasdelastestigos eDeéstasaprendistea uarrar wn caso conereto, una istoria.a partirdenna Si-adems de as revista americanas que eompraba de nfo para ver emo tabajaban los fotdgratos amerieanas, y lo que aprendi de macstros como “Antonio” ElIndio"Velizque, 4 endhasidotuaportacion? And what has your contribution been? As fsent along 1 invented things by accident, lke showing the weapon in the foreground, right up tothe ens. The east majority efmy pieturesweretaken swith @ 21mm wide angle, ond s0 I had tobe on top ofthe subjects, becase if stepped back-a litte, they'd look to be wer fer axay. One time a woman killed hier husband with an iron vod, and when was taking a photo ofthe murderess ‘shemoved the od.anditpassedrightin front ofthe lens.SoTaskeithestolenveit there,the pointcaine outright up frontiwith therestofitstretehingbacktowards the assailant, who was not far aveay. And thats how invented the style of photograph sith the pistol knifeorhand right upelosetothelens, which every: lone uses these days. Another innovation happened when colour film was frst startingtobeused. When woused black and rchite,they used to touch up the pho tos in theart department ofthe newspapers it wouldn't look too morbid. and with these same brushes they erased the blood with grey point. But when colour photography appeared, it occurred to moto tae the pictureswith thelenson the floor. That cay te blood disappears, beeaise the pool i sen in profile. Ifyou takea photo from above the pool of blood comes out in itsentiety, bt in profile you don't even see the colour. The shoe or te hand or the pistol comes out ithe foreground. And thesearethe photos everyone takes now. but Ym tadkingabyt 1972: My photography has always been in another style: aerial or hugging the ground, alway different from the est. We ll fought forthe front or back pee, they sere the only pictures that got signed, the ones they ran inside were published anonymously at that time, I sometimes had 40 cover shots in one ‘month anadthen peopleatarted toget envious, Looking over your images, i seemed to me you never used a telephoto lens. Why’ that? Tgenerally usedarwideanglelens, whichis theonposite ofthe telephoto... For the picture ofthe woman about to jump off the Torre Latinoamericanc, for example, took it with a normat lens, a 50mm. After developing it the editor catfed me in and mockingly congratulate? me for getting sich a close-up shot. answered that! was the only oncon the poper iho hadnt heen givena telephoto lens. Them and there he ordered them to give mea huge one ike for taking base. Dall shots, far too bizfor me. almost never wsed it. One day it got stolen in ans accident, enclon top afthat, they made me pay foritat the paper: ‘Why did you start using daylight flash, before almost anyoneese? Daylight flash fits in theshadores. even took: pictures of peopleseseaming and their teth and eyes would be lit up and really stood out. Using a flash reminded ime of photographers in movies cho abeaye took their pictures teith flashes, natjustat night, but with howe ld bax eameras that syrichronizedseith allspeeds Withyourpassion fordetectivefilms, did yon everwanttomakea movie? Sobre Ie marcha, ca Imente, yo fal inventandlo cosas, como mostrar el de mis fotos Ins wade os que tos, Un arma en primer término, pegada al lente, La gran mayori tomaba con gran angular de 21, y entonces tenia que estar en ‘otrataba, porquesime rtiraba un poco me quedabas lei sehora asesiné a si marido con tna vailla,ycuandocstaba yo retratando a la avesina,ella novia varillay mela pasé rene allente. Entoneese pediqueahi la dejar, 1a puntasalio en primerterminoyyel resto alargado hacia lagresors, ‘quocstabaa muy poca distancia. Vasifve como inventéla fatografiadelapistola, eleuchilloola mano pegadosal lente, queahoratodo el mundousa. ‘Otrafuéal aparecerelcolor, Cuando seusabacTblancoy negro,enel departa- mento de dibujo de os periddicos,retocaban la fotografia para que nose viera _muy morbosa y con los mismos pineeles borraban la sangre, con pinta gris, Perocuando vinola fotograffaa color seme oeurri6 tomarlafotoconllente en 1 piso. Asla sangre se pierde, porqueelchareo queda de perf situ tomasuna {oto desde ariba, el chareo de sangre sale completo, y de perfllyaniel color se ve. En primer término sae elzapato, ole mano, ola pistola. ‘queahora estan haciendotodos, peroloque teestoyplaticando fueen 1972. Mi fotogratfa siempre fué de otro estilo: arco, o al ras del piso, siempre diferente a lade los otros‘Todos pelesbamos la primera ola ultima plana, eran lastinicas que levaban firma, lasinteriores no sefirmaban en aquel tiempo. Yo Iegaba ahacer euarenta planas en un mes y entonees me tenian envidi Alvevisar tus imdgenes, me parece que nunca empleastee telejoto,daquése debe? ‘Yousabamiselanguls esas sn las fotos queesal reds quel telefoto..Lafotode a seiora unto de entarse del Torte Latinoamericans, porejempl, latomécon wn lente normal, de 50. Después de revelarla, el director me mand6 Hamar y Durlandose me elicits porque saliotan de cerea, Contestéqueyoerael 1 periddicoa quien no ledaban tlefoto. nese momentooriendque me dieran ‘uno gigante, como para retratarel beisbol, demasiado grande para mi, Casi rnunealousé. Undiamelorobaron en unaccidente,yencima mele cobraronos el peridieo. ePorquécamensastew usarelffash dea, cuandocasinadieloempleaba? Elflash de da rllenabalassombras, Leguéa tomar gente gritando y sees ituminaban loscientes os os, resaltaban muchisimo.Alemplearlorecordaba 410s fotdgrafos en las peliculas, que tomaban todas las fotos on fash, no solo Jas de noche, pero eon esas cimarasviejas deeaja que sincronizaban con todas lasvelocidades. Debidioa tu pasién por laseintaspoleiacas,éalguna vequisiste hacer una pelicula? Lohacia con mis otos{ijas. Mi primera fotografia siempreeralafachada de donde se habia cometida el erimen, luego una de la entrada, el casquillo, la ‘sangre, eleajon cevuelto, elcadiver: Esoesvna pelicula pro-en ft < Laid tswith my stillphotos. Myfirt photograph waselcays the facade ofthe building were the crime had been committed, then one of the entrance, the cartridge case the blood, the overturned drawer, the corpse. Thatsa fil but in still photos Did youever reconstruct casey way ofphutos,evencleasingitup? Sometimesthoreweredetailethatdidnitenineideand my photos reealed the dey. oeactually akena pietureofvomeoneinthecrowd who laterturnedoutio Ddethennunderer ‘Thismakes methink of those forensic experts, able to diseern amongallthe ‘oisted metal what or who was the cause andeulpritofatrainaceidentora re, for the criminologists who can tell the age, ses, complexion and even social position of the assailant simply by analysing the subtle ~ or brutal, but just as ‘ute - traces on and around the vietims, Do you feel close to these types of investiga Only athehonestones, because fuse lookatanaccidentrwhere he investiga: orhas determined who'sguilty and who's innocent almost beforehand, ease ‘that's how he’ going toget the reard, those I don'badiire. For many years the security forces didn't use photographers, they used my images to help them resolve case, as flwere the expert investigator And all his Tors tothe movies Are ou interested in other kinds ofphotography other than reportage? Tm very inookved in my work, other kinds of photography haven’ eanght ‘my attention. The trade of exime photographer is badly paid and fill of eal ‘ouxy. I's also the most dangerous, but at thesame tie it'sthe best school. Once they sent me toa circus and I took the best, the most opportune, photos of the trapese artists and the leaping antmats. They were all action shots, because 1 seas used to taking erime photos. The crime photographer ear take the st pie: turer in any situation. Another time they sent me to take portraits atthe evil marriage ceremony of the actors Abel Zalasur and Rosita Arenas, took a ieture of tem kissing with the guest choering inthe buckground, which went Bloody ar aginst drug ratfskers Crime, 2Ocaber 11 AReconstruistealgtin casoa través de as fotos, hasta llegar aesclarecerlo? Aveeeshabja detalles queno cineidian enel easoy mis fotos daban laclave. Yo llegué a retratar alguien que apareeia parado entre Ia bola y que luego resultabaserl asesino. Esto me hace pensar en ls peritos,capaces de discernir entre un montén de Perrostorcidos cual fué ta causa yel culpable de un accidente de tren ode un incendio,o loceriminétogos que diagrostien la edad, sexo compleciény hasta posiciim social del agresorcon silo ver ls stiles brutales pero igualmente ‘mudos-restrossobrey alrededor dela vietima éTesientereereano.atstetipode investigadores? Solamente del honesto, porque si vemos un accidente que casiconanterior- {dad el peritoyadietamind queel culpable selinocente, porqueasivaaobtenee tunagratificacién, puesacsenoloadmiro. Durante muchesafos los cuerpos de seguridad no contaban eon fot6grafos, tusahan mis imagenes para ayudarse a resolver ls easos, como si fuera yo el peritofotogrifico.¥ todoestoselodebo alas peliculas. {Teinteresaatr tipodefotografia que no ea lade reportaje? Estoymuy metido.en mi trabajo, otros tipos no mellaman aatencién, Eloficio del ot6grafo poiciacoes mal pagado yllenodeenvidias. Fsaiemis 1 mis peligroso, pero también la mejor escuela. Una vez me mandaron a un circo y saqué las mejores fotos, las mis oportunas de los trapecstas, de los animalessaltando. Todas ran en accién, porqueyo estaba ncostumbrado alas fotos de la polcia. Fl fotdgrafo de policia puede tomar una mejor foto en cevalquier ott ambiente. Otra ver me mandaron a retratar la boda civil de los actores Abel Zalazar y Rosita Arenas. Les tomé una foto besindose con los {nvitados gritando atrs, que fué primera plana, Los otvos reporterosgrificas pedian una foto posada, levantando el vaso, sonriendo, pero yo siempre tom fotos deaecin, €Y-edmo entiendes tu Sotografia ante los cambios recientes, coma la fii fon the front page. The other photojournalists asked for poses, rising their glasses ailing, but Lalways took action shots And whatis your view of photography faced with thereces simple and imperceptible digital alteration ofthe photograp! factthat theimage travelsinstantly by way of thein Keep in mind that inthe (6] years since I retired, isschen there been most changes. I'm justastonished, Fish we'd havehad them inmyday. Lets tale about the exmera as a catalyzing instrument, Do you believe hhuman beings have areal morbid instinct, the desire to see violence and the suffering ofothers, am Toe photographed thousands and thousands of corpses, but Teas also a ioneerinthe publication of photosofithedeceased whilestiltalive. Fused otal to the relatiees and ask them for a photo, and Id promise not to publish the hotosofthe dead body. Inyour photos there isan evident play of gazes. Where does the dfferencelie ‘between the guze that’ behind the camera, that ofthe onlookerat the seene of ‘events, and thatof he newspaper reader? The gaze behind the camera ormine, nother words is thesameas that of changes likethe image, or the set? that theeamera eatalyzes this instinet? ‘the redder. 1 represent the reader who ear goto wee the accident, fie ov erie. The onlookers always want to ge! in the photos, theyre curious that w photo= grapher is talking pictures ofthe accident, but they alsa want to appari the photos. This cant happen now because the police cordon eff the scene or the corpse quitea tong way back. They didn’ used to, Tee taken photossohere people areaimostontop oftherictin. And now that the onlookers are the public in museums and art galleries, \whatdoyou think theyrelooking forcompared tothe readers of La Prensa? ‘Theyvelooking or something that doesn' exist in photography these day. beard that someone asked about the et where I took my photos; they thought ‘they were faked. These are photographs that speak for themselves, But the ist ‘thing you have toexplain is that they re rea, chere they were taken iswwhat they care portraying. not, the people won't understend. The motes under te photos, ike the captions in the papers, give meaning to thecontent. 1 see Youve always been more interested in accidents than in war. Perhaps because accidents are unpredictable, theyre an assault on innocence. But there's preparation for war, as well as being big business for some. Photo- _graphers have great opportunity o prepare epic, heroic, high-flown images, which often distance the horror ofthe immediate reality of what it must be Hike toexperience war up clase. like to know ifyou would have been interested in ‘covering, forexample, the uprising in Chiapas? reasa’t asked 1 g0 [10 Chiapae}, but I eas herein Mexico City in 8, chew thearmywaskilling people Tce covered warsbetceen police and crininals,big shootouts.1/Tilbeen in Chiapas, contd hawedone nayjob. Youcantarrivewith imperceptible alteracién digital de ta imagen fotogrifica oe hecho deque éta vigieinstanténcamente porinternet? Ten en cuenta que en los (6) altos que tengo de retirado, es ewando mis ‘cambios han habjdo. Yosélo me quedossombrad, oj loshubigramostenide enesetienpo, Hablemos de la cdmara come instrumentocatalizador: éCrees qu en el ser rwinano hay un verdadero iustinte de movbo, de ver el safrimiento eno, la violencia, y con lacéimara fologrfica catatizasteinstinto? Yo fotogratié miles y miles de muertos, pero fu también pionero de que se ppublicara la foto del dif unto en vida Yo hablaba personalmente com los famil- fares y les pein una fotoen vida, y les prometia que nose ibe a publiear Ia del eadiver. En tusfotosexevidente el juego te miradas, En qué difieren la mirada del queestédeeriadela cémara,ladel mirin en elligardeloshechos, yla detector delperisdivn? Lamirada detrésdelacimara,o seala mia, esla misma que ladel letor, 0 represento al lector que no puede ira verelaccidente,incendlio, oerimen, Los 1mirones siempre querian salir etratados lesdabacurioxidad que un fotdgrato estuviera rotratande el aeeidente, pero ademis querian aparecer en la fot. Ahora esto va no se puede porque los poleias aeordonan a gran distanca ka ceseena o¢l eadiver.antesno,yo tengo fotos en lasquela gente esti casi encin Yahoraquelosmironessoncl piiblico degaleriasy museasearte,dqncrees {que busquen estoxadiferenciadel eetorde La Prensa? Buscan lo que no existe en la fotografia de este tiempo. Yo of que alguien preguntd sobre el set donde hacia mis fotos, pensaron que eran de mentiras. Hay fotografiasquehablan solas. Pevaloprimeroquetienes que explicar esque son reales, dénde se tomaron y qué es lo que retratan, Sino, la gente no va a entender [Ls nota al pié de In fotografia, come la de los periddicos, da sentido al contenid, Veo que siemprete hat Hamada mista atencin elaccidenteque a guerra. El aceidente es impredectble, es un asalto a la inoceneia. Peo para la guerra hays reparacién,adewis deserungran negocio paralgunos. Loxfotégrafos tienen ‘mayor oportunidad para prepara imagenes épicas, hericas, precio-cistas, quemuchas vecersedivtancian del horror dela realidad inimedtata que debeser vivir de cerca wna guerra. Quiero saber site interesd eubrir ftogréficamente, por efemploe lecazta mientoen Chiapas (AChiapas) nome tocé quememandaran, peroaqui me tocé el 68, resto ‘matandoala gente.O guerrasentrepoleiasy delincuentes,randesalaceras. ‘Sihubiera estado-en Chiapas, hubiera cumplida.com mi trabajo. No puedes Negar con miedo. Kn el momento del peligeo no lo piensas ya después, en la {fear Inthe momentofdanger you don'thinkaboutit, later youdo, 4 night, you Durst intotearsthinkingofwhat pou'ceescaped. Do youlike towateh rough sportslike boxing? Theonly sport veeverlikedallmy lifeisfootball.But hateitihen thereare rows or fights sorite off footballers cho foul other players maticionsly. Pee never liked bowing. After incessantly photographing accidents, crimes, natural disasters, could you say there are reeuing patterns in th ‘that would et you predict those ocome? ‘Thework load increascson Sundays and holidays because people drink-and getout more. Youdon'thawe to be clairvoyant to notice that Though {herve sade scocrat predictions... managed to predict ax ai avcidentthat happened in thesaime place Fsaid itwould. Another time Tdveamed ofafiveand thatsameday there easone,andwhen larrived atthe place Tener ‘exactly oheret0 go in Because Fidscen the imagen thedeam. events or somethinglike asyster Your work has puty ut life in danger many times: cars erashing and over turning, burs, broken fingers and ribs, explosions only metres away. There've been atlier eases not eased by: negligence oF speed, but natural phenomena like Moods, carthquakes, mudslides, es. interrupts] ve photographed everything excepta spaceship orsubmarine collision ve been inavatanchesreith mud upto my neck. Are younfrad of nature Teealeays bern fiwid afbeing burned todeath Areyouattaidofanythingin particular? What frightens ne more than anything isthe thought ofhavingan autopsy, Teeueen thousands of autopsiosthat were like buscherles. Areyou religious? My parents were orthodox Catholic. Fee been devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe since 1eas a child. In my wallet Iarry images of Christ, and the Virginsof Gnadalupeand Zapopa, and yes, they have helped me Have you ever felt your life threatened by knowing too much about a sensitivecase? Once was threatened with a pistol froma car, asked them please not to kill Ime, But Fevvered so many easesthat Ineverknew which one the threat was eon nected to.A photographer is ery different from areporter Repovtersare targets ‘more frequently, especially in potiticnt and drug-trafioking case. With pho- ‘ography you cant lie and with text you can. Well, maybe nex, with the nee technologies youcan puteomeane’sheadon someone cise’ body, but Fmtalking about fore, those photos, the real ones, they den tie {And finally, how did i fel to work for a medium that lived direetly of? reportingtragedies? And thebigger the tragedy, the more profitsit generated? ‘Someone has todo this wor, its not your faut ifa plane crashes. Thad to noche, te ponesallorar de pensar lo quelibrast,

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