The Griffin Museum of Photography’s current exhibition, “Traces of Existence,” is a captivating display of works by five talented Hispanic photographers: Muriel Hasbun, Alejandro “Luperca” Morales, Rodrigo Valenzuela, Ileana Doble Hernandez, and Alejandro Cartagena. Curated by Griffin Director Crista Dix, the show delves into themes of home, identity, and migration, exploring these concepts through diverse photographic styles and techniques.
Muriel Hasbun’s evocative images from her “Pulse: New Cultural Registers” series blur the lines between painting and photography. Spectral and ethereal, her works incorporate elements of surrealism and abstraction, and are subtly infused with the faint tracings of seismic readings from El Salvador. These lines connect Hasbun to her homeland, serving as both personal and national histories.
Alejandro “Luperca” Morales presents two videos of the Paso del Norte International Bridge between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Seemingly simple recordings, these videos are in fact complex explorations of immigration, deportation, and inequality. Morales subtly draws parallels to the surveillance cameras used at the bridge and the El Paso Zoo, inviting viewers to draw their own conclusions.
Rodrigo Valenzuela’s large-scale desert scenes superimpose geometric lines and structures onto empty landscapes. His work evokes a sense of displacement and a ghostly presence, echoing the terrain crossed by undocumented immigrants and the violent history of the region. The juxtaposition of human artifice and natural emptiness creates a visually striking and thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between the two.
Ileana Doble Hernandez’s vibrant diptychs from the “Los Gringos” series document street life in the United States, often incorporating text and signs into the compositions. Her lightbox transparencies, part of the “Pollage” series, push these elements even further, creating visually striking and politically charged works that address issues of identity and social justice.
Alejandro Cartagena repurposes vintage photographs in two distinct ways. In one series, he removes the subjects’ faces, commenting on absence, presence, and identity. In another, he arranges multiple vintage portraits in dense clusters, evoking a sense of multiplicity and erasure. Cartagena’s work prompts viewers to consider the power and limitations of photography in capturing and conveying the essence of human existence.
“Traces of Existence” offers a diverse and thought-provoking exploration of the ways in which photography can capture and convey the essence of human existence, delving into themes of migration, identity, history, and the complex relationship between the personal and the political. The exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in photography, contemporary art, or the human experience.
