In this film strip Claudia shows all of us a glimpse of her spirit. Perhaps over sixty rolls of 120 film have been exposed of her since we met three years ago and in none of the frames does she present the same expression, as seen from this series. In the hot and humid afternoon she gives of herself and still has more to give until the sun disappears, outlasting both the sun and my supply of film for that day.
We met while looking for her sister from the previous year. She walked into the living room of her cousin's house when she heard of two strangers visiting. I still remember the expression on her face and how it turned from responding to the mundane to full joy, albeit a reserved form. She was quiet them and remains quiet to this day, choosing to express herself through the image rather than through the spoken word.
This past year, towards the end of my visit however, she reached out and spoke volumes. She did so in the back seat of Alejandro's 1954 Chevrolet and with me as we waited for the sun one afternoon. To be able to understand her thoughts in her language is a blessing beyond description. All of those hours listening to Spanish lessons in my car on the way to work simply faded away and her voice filled the entire space.
I hope that this year's images are as striking and look forward to a much deeper collaboration next summer.
Note: This series was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180mm combination.
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