24. A picture of my parents
My exhibition closes in the next few days! If you intend do so, make sure to visit before June 12th.
ROLL 431 | FRAME 30
Ofelia and Alejandro, Mexico City, February 2023.
I have been thinking about photographing my parents. In a talk I had with Kelly Long she asked me when was the first time I collaborated with them in my work. I do not remember. I have even been thinking about that after the fact. I can’t for the life of me recall. I do know they were in very early film school shorts. My dad, always making the most unnatural choices of what to do with his body. My mom, always giving me something so much better than any ideas I have.
In the talk I quoted Justine Kurland from a portfolio she published in the guardian. She says that Casper, he son, gave her the pictures she took of him. I agree. My parents have given me so many pictures and pieces.
I have to say, I rely on my parents for more than just art help. They help me with Matarile in Mexico, with Mexican bureaucracy, they pick me up from the airport. My parents are part of my work because they want to help, in any way they can, with anything that is important for me. That is an important component of any picture that includes them.
I haven’t found the limit as to what my parents would do for me. I thought about this as I yelled “Stop laughing, be serious” in a public park while my dad pulled my mom from in between the branches of this tree.
From the contact sheets, this picture where I am not pushing my parents, just taking a nice, simple portraits of the two.
