Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Second Photographic Marathon

Awá mourners carry their dead. 

These photos, winners of Colombia's Second Photographic Marathon, are on display in the patio of the Gabriel Garcia Marquez Cultural Center in La Candelaria. The photos' theme seems to be tragedy and decadence: the aftermath of a massacre of indigenous Awá people in 2009, sagging and crumbling old movie theatres in Riohacha, and a mostly-abandoned pier in Puerto Colombia. 

Demanding attention and redress, the Awás laid out their dead by the roadside for days, forcing travelers to witness the tragedy. The massacre took place in the town of Ricaurte, in Narño Province. This was the third massacre the Awá communities suffered that year, and its victims included four children. FARC guerrillas committed the first two massacres, but the perpetrators of this one were not identified. Photos of the Awá by Clara Feale Weiskopf.


Sagging and abandoned theatres in Riohacha. Many were built in the 1930s by Arab immigrants who had arrived a decade earlier. Photos by Lina Paola Fuentemayor Mejia. 




At 1,200 meters long, Puerto Colombia's dock was the world's second-longest when built in 1893. For many years it handled most of Colombia's international trade, until replaced by Barranquilla and later by Buenaventura. The dock was taken out of use in 1943 and a few years ago the sea swept away 200 meters of the structure. Photos by Ivan Dario Herrera Gomez. 



By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

5 comments:

  1. How often do you go to Ciudad Bolivar Mike?? I really like your shot of the roofs of the houses in this neighborhood. I was told that there is a lot to see and talk about this part of Bogota.

    Mauricio F.

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  2. Hi Mauricio,

    Unfortunately, I haven't been to Ciudad Bolivar for quite a while. In any case, it's best to go there with someone who lives there or an institution. A foreigner wandering around in Ciudad Bolivar might get into trouble.

    Mike

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  3. I understand Mike. I was just thinking if you would like to work with me in one of my projects. I'll be showing my work in a college here in Chicago and, I'm seeking the other artist and mainly photographers to work as a team whit me. For example I have a Russian photographer that is willing to used his shots in one of my installations. The idea is to have shots of different cities like Chicago, N.Y., Moscow and show them whit the idea of a single landscape. in any case you would be in the credits along whit the rest of the artist.

    M.F.

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  4. Hi Mauricio,

    I'm neither an artist nor a photographer, but I'd be happy to send photos of the central part of Bogotá, which is what I frequent, if you tell me what sort of images you're looking for.

    Best, Mike

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  5. Miguel, Thank you so much!!
    I Appreciate your modesty, but even if you do not see yourself as an artist or photographer, I find your shots interesting and, some of them very profound and full of narrative.
    So Mike, thanks again and, I let you know what I need, the exhibit is in November.

    M Forero.

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