Jonathan: Alejandro Cartagena &​ Snow Series

Though he does not like to admit this himself, IP has changed Jonathan.  Although he began the year uncertainly, skimming the surface of various topics and feeling unsure of how he might direct his focus, he has gradually become a veritable workhorse.  Having carved out a corner niche for himself in the upstairs studio, he spends most of his time taking new photos, combing through them using a television positioned on his worktable, and manipulating the photos' finer details using Adobe Photoshop.

Currently, Jonathan is working on two projects.  First, he has found a new mentor in Alejandro Cartagena.  Born in the Dominican Republic and now working in Monterrey, Mexico, Cartagena creates photography series that "employ landscape and portraiture as a means to examine social, urban and environmental issues. His work has been exhibited internationally and is in the collections of several museums..." (passages taken from the Bio of Alejandro Cartagena's website).  Jonathan finds himself particularly fascinated with Cartagena's Carpoolers series.  While analyzing the photo at right, for instance, he noted an interesting contrast:  American pedestrians would suffer a ticket if they hitched a ride in the back of a truck, while for Mexican residents, this practice is a normal and accepted part of life.  Jonathan is engaging Cartagena's work not only on an artistic but also on a cultural level.

Jonathan has also capitalized upon the many snowstorms still sweeping through the Hudson Valley by developing a photography series focusing on snow.  During the past several closures, Kildonan community members have frequently seen Jonathan scaling snow drifts for the perfect shot, a scarf wrapped protectively around his camera.  His photos are evocative of rich textures and the muffled stillness of a storm.  Those that resonate most with me, however, succeed for their peculiar capacity to capture the paradox that is Nature:  its orderliness and chaos, its wildness and delicate beauty.

What are your thoughts? Do you have insights on Cartagena or Jonathan's snow series? If so, please post in the comments section below.

Description of 1st image:  Two pieces within Cartagena's Carpoolers series.  Photo located at inhabit.com.  Kildonan and its IP program claim now ownership over the above graphic.

Description of 2nd and 3rd image:  Original images belonging to Jonathan E.'s "Snow" series.