I've just finished reading Dreaming With His Eyes Open, a Life of Diego Rivera by Patrick Marnham. I was somewhat surprised after seeing Rivera's murals in the Ministry of Education this year that these murals were really the beginning of what we normally think of as Rivera's work but when he started these murals he was 36 years old. He started art school when he was 11 so he was 25 years into his life's work. Marnham writes about Rivera in 1910:When Rivera first came to Montparnasse to live with Angelina, he was still insecure and rather withdrawn figure, as uncertain of himself as he was of his art.
Up until the time he returned to Mexico in 1920 he had experimented with the styles of the Flemish masters, Turner, Impressionism, symbolism, Post-Impressionism pointillism and cubism. It took him a long time to find his own work, his own voice.
What does this have to do with me, or with the image above? Well, I've been giving a lot of thought to my own work in the last few days because I went back through negatives and projects to pull together some work to show to a few photographers who asked to see my work. I've been asking myself this question.....Have I found MY work, my own voice?
2 comments:
Oh I think you are already there. Your photography is outstatanding and your writing skills as well. Good luck with your show.
I can't say whether this is your voice, but it sure is one of the most interesting photos I've seen in a long while. I love the contrast of textures and pattern - the soft, delicate play of the shadows, the smoothness of the wall - and the perspective is fantastic! I too look forward to meeting you when we get to SMA.
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