Guillermo Srodek-Hart

VIEW CAMERA - USA
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November-December 2007

Guillermo Srodek-Hart was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1977. In the late 90s he studied lithography but it was in 2001 when he discovered photography while studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There, he met a photographer that became one of the most important influences in his professional career as well as in his personal life. The photographer was Jim Dow, who once studied with Harry Callahan and worked for Walker Evans, and was teaching History of Photography and Large Format by that time. Guillermo started attending his classes and assisting him in his trips across the USA. Guillermo Srodek-Hart certainly felt inspired by the way Dow worked, by his passion and love for journeys and especially the connection he could establish while meeting the local people in every small town he was photographing.To define Guillermo Srodek-Hart´s work, it is necessary to share, or at least try, his deep empathy with the rural world and his constant intent to capture the essence of the popular scenario, always present in the local iconography: “I am interested in photographing interiors that reflect the way people display objects destined for consumption in a devotional manner”, he explains. The “way people display objects” is definitively very different from the “ways” of the big urban communities. Nevertheless, each town that seemed to be lost in the middle of nowhere, each interior he photographed, each devotional icon chosen by a small group of people isolated from the metropolis, also represents the richness of their thoughts and profound sensibility. An exquisite sensibility so many times underestimated by the dominant, asphyxiating and overwhelming city culture. The only way we could understand different points of view is by opening our hearts and minds to let those differences seduce us. What we might discover could be, not only challenging but extremely creative. It could also teach us there are thousands of stories hidden in mysterious sites, besides the ones our occidental culture narrates.Guillermo Srodek-Hart is actually in Boston doing an MFA in photography at Mass College of Art. He was the 2006 recipient of the Klemm Award and the Petrobras Award in Argentina, and participated in more than 20 exhibitions since 2003, both international as well as in those towns he photographed (Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Salta are just a few in Argentina; Boston, Framingham, Attleboro, Toronto abroad). His professional practice includes works in the Martin Chambi archive in Cuzco, Peru, 2005; Producer and assistant for the show “The Disappeared” at the North Dakota Museum of Art; Jim Dow’s personal assistant in 2004 and Roswell Angier’s in 2003.His work has been published by several international magazines such as “Urban Planet” magazine, The Boston Globe, Art Matters Magazine, and Boston Magazine, as well as the major newspapers in Argentina.Following are four photographs that express the artist’s conviction and commitment to reveal, in front of our eyes, the surreal world behind the rural imaginary.

Fernando Gonzalez Casanueva - Four Photograhs

VIEW CAMERA - USA

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November 2006

Fernando González Casanueva was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1957. At fourteen, he was seduced by photography and never stopped ever since; always searching for knowledge and trying to explore the possibilities that large format could provide to his creativity. His first professor was the school photographer in his home town, Luján, and in 1987 his father encourage him to go to Buenos Aires and study with two important photographer by that time: Walter Aramayo and Carlos Mainardi. He learned about monochrome images and how to work with the large format.
Once a professional, he participated in several national and international exhibitions, achieving many awards. His photographs were published in magazines, catalogs and even in special editions such as the “Year Book”, Britain edition, 1993.
In 1994, he moved to the U.S to study and learn more about Ansel Adam’s work. In 2001, he published the book “Zone Systems”, fascinated by the technique Adams developed around 1940. This system provides a precise method to define the relationship between the way the artist sees the objects and the final result captured by the camera. Fernando tries to make it applicable using the modern sensitive materials of the XXI century.
After a lifetime of experience, the artist discovered the importance of “order”, absolute control of the “know-how” and techniques (including possibilities and limits of the large format camera, supports, timings, film developers, temperatures, etc.), and last but not least, the importance of the “aesthetic content”, which happens to be the real essence of photography. Equilibrium; balance between feelings and theory; that is the gate to the unique vision of the artist.
He made interesting series along his career. Always applying the zone system technique, he produced the “Trees” series between 1994-2002, taking pictures in different sites all over Argentina as well as Maryland in the U.S, capturing the enormous beauty of nature. Quoting Adams, Fernando said: “this technique allows me to visualize in my mind the final image before shooting”. Certainly, an exciting method to calm anxiety, eliminate doubts and avoid future frustrations.
Here we have four images of that impeccable work of art.