Monday, February 16, 2009, 08:54 - Shooting, Events, Commentary
Štúrovo, SlovakiaOn Friday I went to the annual dance that the local high school puts on for its students. What was remarkable is how unremarkable it was. Girls were all dressed up and had their hair done; the boys looks uncomfortable in their suits and tuxedos. They danced to bad music and had a good time. The scene could have been in Berlin or Brooklyn for that matter, which is very much the point.
Swinging and swaying… © Damaso Reyes
Watching and waiting. © Damaso Reyes
Music Playing… © Damaso Reyes
Hoping… © Damaso Reyes
In the moment. © Damaso Reyes
I’ve also visited the school twice to talk to students about my work. For me what’s interesting is how they view themselves and their lives, which is to say very much like their Western European counterparts. All of them have mobile phones and computers and plan on attending university. They shop online and listen to American pop music. Just twenty years ago this of course wasn’t the case. The entry of Slovakia into the European Union no doubt accelerated this trend.
The future is now. © Damaso Reyes
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Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 12:49 - Travel, Shooting
Štúrovo, SlovakiaSo last weekend was not just about dancing, let me tell you! I also got to do some relaxing, which in this part of the world invariably involves drinking, and lots of it. Well, when in Hungary, do as the Hungarians do, I always say!
Opening the taps! © Damaso Reyes
My friend Almos invited me to his hometown where his father makes his own wine, as well as Palinka, a local liquor which is very smooth even if it has an alcohol content “above 50%” as I was informed.
This ain’t just water! © Damaso Reyes
It seems like having a wine cellar is as much of a Hungarian tradition as having a backyard is in America. From what I was told making alcohol is the local pastime, one I can enthusiastically support.
Almos pours out a taste. © Damaso Reyes
I have to say that the wine was excellent, as it should be since it has won several local awards. And the Palinka was even better. Of course I can only sip a little at a time, after all, I would like to keep my insides intact, but it was exceedingly smooth and had a lovely subtle fruit flavor.
All in good fun. © Damaso Reyes
What I like about drinking in Europe, and in Hungary in particular, is that it is a family affair. That is to say that it isn’t stigmatized the way it is in America and children grow up understanding it is a part of life, rather than having adults try to hide it from them. This is a much healthier attitude.
Mmmmmm? © Damaso Reyes
Of course when you drink you must eat, another good thing about the European perspective. Of course when you are a stranger in a strange land you will sometimes encounter new things, as I did…
Mmmmmm! © Damaso Reyes
But fun was certainly had by all!
Monday, February 9, 2009, 12:40 - Travel, Shooting
BudapestI don’t know about you but I had a pretty busy weekend! There’s so many photos to share that I will have to break it up into two posts. On Friday I went with some friends to Budapest to take in some traditional Hungarian folk dancing.
One moment. © Damaso Reyes
The music may have been traditional, but the crowd was mostly young people in jeans and dresses.
All together now. © Damaso Reyes
From what I was told traditional music and dancing was discouraged under Communism. Today there has been something of a renaissance of all things Hungarian.
Trio. © Damaso Reyes
I can’t tell you how nice it is to hear. Whenever I go into a supermarket, or any public space that has music, I am assaulted by American pop music. If I wanted to listen to Britney Spears I would have stayed in the United States. But here it was nothing but the sweet melodies of the violin that filled the room.
Slowly. © Damaso Reyes
For sure American and Western European influences abound, especially among the youth. But there is an intense pride in the Hungarian identity that is not chauvinistic but proud.
Watching and waiting. © Damaso Reyes
I recorded some music and will hopefully put together some kind of slideshow later in the week. It’s hard to get across the feeling without hearing the music which inspires the dancing.
Smile. © Damaso Reyes
Embrace. © Damaso Reyes
Circle. © Damaso Reyes
Pair. © Damaso Reyes
Thursday, February 5, 2009, 09:08 - Shooting, Commentary
Sturovo, SlovakiaSo the other day I got invited to visit a carnival party that a local elementary school was having. Take 100+ kids under ten, add sugar and music and stir vigorously!
Truth in advertising. © Damaso Reyes
In truth it was actually a lot of fun, for the two hours I lasted. I surely don’t remember ever having that kind of energy but if scientists ever figure out a way of bottling this stuff, they would be rich.
Remains of the day. © Damaso Reyes
One of the things that has surprised me while I have been in Štúrovo is how diverse a place it actually is, given how small it is. Though it is in Slovakia it is actually about 70% Hungarian, which simply speaks to how malleable borders are compared with the nedless reach of history.
Representing the future. © Damaso Reyes
No, what’s far more interesting is the people of color I have found in this town, like the young girl in the middle whose father is from Gambia. From what I have learned there is a Congolese man (the local pharmacist who has lived here for years) as well as a Chinese family and some Vietnamese as well.
Bridging the gap. © Damaso Reyes
Apparently this trend goes back to state socialist times when fraternal communist nations sent people to Eastern Europe to study. Some decided to stay. I was surprised that even in a town of just 11,000 immigration is a fact of everyday life.
Dancing. © Damaso Reyes
I didn’t think I would have that much of an opportunity to explore immigration while I was here but this is exactly why I try not to have too many assumptions before I go to a place. You learn far too much when you actually have an opportunity to live in a place than simply reading about it…
Thursday, September 25, 2008, 12:07 - Travel, Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreYesterday I traveled to the Cote Sauvage or Savage Coast here in Brittany. The place lived up to its name with dramatic vistas of wave battered coastline. It really was amazing to stand at the very end of France and look over the distant horizon towards America, where I will be heading back on Saturday. It was a great trip to end my travels here in France and here are a few images!
You are here! © Damaso Reyes
Crash, bang! © Damaso Reyes
The Channel. © Damaso Reyes
Rocks and waves. © Damaso Reyes
Turbulence. © Damaso Reyes
Thinking. © Damaso Reyes
The castle in the distance. © Damaso Reyes
The lonely fisherman. © Damaso Reyes
Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 11:40 - Travel, Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreOn Saturday there was a traditional Fest-Noz in Elven, just a few kilometers away. An evening of music and dance the Fest-Noz provides an opportunity to both preserve and celebrate local culture. If you just wandered in one might have thought that one was in Scotland or Ireland what with the sounds of the pipes and drums ringing in the night air. But we were safely in Brittany enjoying another great evening.
And the band played on. © Damaso Reyes
We were dancing through the night. © Damaso Reyes
Playing in the shadows… © Damaso Reyes
Just you and I… © Damaso Reyes
Free Brittany! © Damaso Reyes
The pipes, the pipes are calling… © Damaso Reyes
Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 11:35 - Travel, Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreIt was a busy weekend. Once again the sun was shining and on Sunday several of us took the opportunity of visit an arts festival at Gorvello. There was some traditional dancing and music and well as lots of food and drink. I was pretty wiped out from the night before but I managed to get a few good pictures…
Let’s start from the beginning… © Damaso Reyes
Jesus says hello. © Damaso Reyes
Generations of tradition. © Damaso Reyes
Random moth. © Damaso Reyes
Shoes. © Damaso Reyes
The passion of the flower. © Damaso Reyes
Monday, September 22, 2008, 11:25 - Travel, Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreOne of the things I like most about spending time in small towns are the festivals and circuses one can find. Last week there was a small family circus in Pluherlin, a village within walking distance. So I packed my camera bag and went for a stroll down the road. It was a small tent but I got to spend a little time with the Bertrand family before the show. Here are a few images…
Big show, this way! © Damaso Reyes
Laetita, Christhophe, Leslie, Dannob and BoBoye. © Damaso Reyes
Send in the clowns. © Damaso Reyes
My kingdom for a llama. © Damaso Reyes
Brother and sister. © Damaso Reyes
Time for a show. © Damaso Reyes
Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 08:29 - Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreOn Sunday I had an opportunity to hear some traditional Breton singing at Café Gorvello, just a few towns over. Imagine American idol on a much smaller scale. The event was a local competition for a regional signing festival to be held later next month. Dozens of local residents came out on a lovely Sunday afternoon to sing traditional folk songs.
Keeper of the Flame. © Damaso Reyes
This kind of music is called Kan ha diskan or call and response. The singer will start with several verses and the audience will respond with what we might call the bridge. It was a really interesting experience, especially since almost all of the participants were over 50. As much as there has been a revival of Breton culture over the past thirty years, clearly many parts of this unique heritage are in peril as fewer and fewer young people choose to take on the traditions of their ancestors. Here are a few images!
Song of the shadows. © Damaso Reyes
Documentation. © Damaso Reyes
Noble song. © Damaso Reyes
Local color. © Damaso Reyes
The face of history. © Damaso Reyes
Friday, September 12, 2008, 10:23 - Travel, Shooting
Rochefort-en-TerreEarlier this week several of the artists here took a trip to the nearby island of Gavrinis which contains a megathic tomb which dates back to 3,500 B.C.E. Just a short ferry ride through the Gulf of Morbihan, Gavrinis is an interesting example of Europe’s wonderfully preserved history. Thousands of years ago humans were building complex societies complete with the kind of memorials that we are familiar with. Here are a few images!
Can you smell the salt air? © Damaso Reyes
You are here! © Damaso Reyes
Monument. © Damaso Reyes
Entrance. © Damaso Reyes
Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:37 - Travel, Shooting, Commentary
Rochefort-en-TerreI have spent the past few days exploring the lovely town that I will be staying at for the next three weeks. Most, if not all of the homes are at least a few hundred years old, a perfect example of how Europe’s history is literally embodied in its towns and cities.
Lost in time. © Damaso Reyes
As much as I like photographing landscapes I do plan on photographing more of the people who make this town and region so special! In the meantime, please enjoy some images…
Flora and fauna. © Damaso Reyes
Green and black. © Damaso Reyes
Home of God and home of man. © Damaso Reyes
Renew, Reuse & Recycle! © Damaso Reyes
Red and white. © Damaso Reyes
Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 10:15 - Travel, Shooting, Commentary, Photo of the Day
Rochefort-en-TerreGreetings from France! Sorry it has taken me so long to post, but it was a long flight and train ride to get here to Rochefort-en-Terre. Of course it was totally worth it. Brittany is amazing and I actually managed to get over to the coast and shoot a few images of the landscape and the oyster and mussel pickers. Whole families go out on the weekends to pick these bivalve delicacies!
The coast. © Damaso Reyes
Rochefort itself is a lovely small town straight out of the Middle Ages. I promise to grab some shots for you once the rain stops (it might take a while). In the meantime enjoy some images from the coast!
Picking oysters in Brittany. © Damaso Reyes
No sand, only shells. © Damaso Reyes
Low tide. © Damaso Reyes
Saturday, March 22, 2008, 16:52 - Shooting, Commentary
StuttgartExpanding the frontiers of knowledge. © Damaso Reyes
Sorry for the long absence, I have spent a few days this week photographing once again at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. This time around I spent some time in several different departments including the Division of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, Division of Molecular Genetics and the High Resolution Optical Microscopy Research Group. Slowly but surely I am chipping away at the role of science and research in transforming Europe! Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure!
The Optical Microscopy group uses lasers to visualize the smallest parts of cells. © Damaso Reyes
Watch out! © Damaso Reyes
Different colors = different wavelengths of light and resolutions. © Damaso Reyes
Only the light of a computer monitor guides the scientists as they perform their experiments. © Damaso Reyes
A patient prepares to receive radiation therapy. © Damaso Reyes
A radiation treatment session is observed using television cameras. © Damaso Reyes
Fine German engineering at work. © Damaso Reyes
A nurse assists a patient after he receives his treatment. © Damaso Reyes
The machine shop creates many of the tools used by the radiology department. © Damaso Reyes
Boys will be boys. © Damaso Reyes
Next Friday I will leave all this behind for a few weeks and travel back to New York for some rest and relaxation. But fear not, I am plotting my return to Europe in mid-May so stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, enjoy your HCB Quote of the Week!
A lab assistant prepares genetic samples for analysis. © Damaso Reyes
Even a lab bench is a personal space. © Damaso Reyes
Just like mine at home. © Damaso Reyes
And no photographs taken with the aid of flash light, either, if only out of respect for the actual light - even when there isn't any of it. - Henri Cartier-Bresson
Thursday, February 28, 2008, 09:30 - Travel, Shooting, Commentary
ViennaIt is my last day here in Wien and I am already missing it! Well I still have a few more hours but the weather has been spectacular during the past week and I have really been very productive, so much so that I still have to do some packing. But don’t worry, I will get it all done in time. I really hope I have a chance to come back soon to continue the work I started here. Time, as always, will tell.
In the meantime here are some images of asylum seeker, teacher and university graduate Alisa and her three daughters. She came here almost ten years ago from Chechnya and has been trying to make a life for herself, against all odds, ever since.
“I wish that just once I could feel like a human being.”
A strong woman.© Damaso Reyes
Still happy. © Damaso Reyes
A hidden truth. © Damaso Reyes
Edges. © Damaso Reyes
Living history. © Damaso Reyes
Thursday, February 14, 2008, 16:18 - Shooting
ViennaSo every day this week I’ve been taking the train to the Ute Bock Center. It is a place where people seeking asylum can come for counseling, legal advice and even housing. The small staff there does wonders with the few resources they have available and they have opened their doors and allowed me to photograph at the center.
Everyone is a foreigner somewhere...
The first day I have to say I was pretty overwhelmed. Many of the asylum seekers come to the center because they are having a problem which can range from an upcoming legal procedure to being threatened with arrest or deportation. They often have to wait for hours before they can see someone and the sense of frustration with the asylum system is palpable.
Waiting...
I haven’t made too many photographs yet, much of the past few days has been about observing and getting comfortable but the more time I spend there the more I see and begin to understand. For the next two weeks I will probably work on this project exclusively, I hope I can do justice to the stories I encounter.
Karin, a staff member. © Damaso Reyes
Frau Bock herself. © Damaso Reyes
Looking for answers... © Damaso Reyes
Waiting for mail. © Damaso Reyes
Thinking. © Damaso Reyes
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