"The Threshing", 1930
Manual Alvarez Bravo's black and white photography is a stark contrast to the vivid colors and surreal imagery of iconic Mexican artists like Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera. Instead of relying on color or fantasy, Bravo uses quiet landscapes and simplified compositions to tell his views of Mexico.
"The Threshing" (photo seen here)is a great example of Bravo's restrained style. The rancher with a white horse and a black horse is at first glance a pretty uncomplicated subject and setting. But closer examination reveals more. The relationships between the horse and rancher are unusual, they are not predictable and look like we've caught them in an awkward moment of transition. There is also a great deal texture from the wheat on the ground and background of the clay brick building. Both give contrasting textures of dry straw versus cool, moist clay. It is in these subtle variations that there is a great deal of tension and visual interest that builds up.
His takes on Mexico through the use of capturing interesting scenes from the outdoor environment and everyday objects and scenes say something different from his surrealist counterparts. Bravo seems to be asking us to notice the ground that lies beneath the feet of everyday Mexicans like this rancher, and questions our understanding of the country's history by examining the earth and what it reveals.
So you believe Bravo asks the viewer to interpret the visual elements he presents? I agree that is true, but I also think Bravo went around looking for those images which would bias viewers to specific interpretations.
ReplyDeleteHis photo on the murdered striking worker is a masterpiece. Part of its effect is from framing the subject above the centerline, in the upper part of the photo. But the other part is from how the blood is smeared across the face in almost ritualistic fashion. One almost feels the photographer tampered with the body to get that effect. That suspicion is perhaps the highest homage an artist portraying the real could receive. Of course, he must have traipsed through many places, seen and survived a whole lot, to have been at the right place at the right time.