In-progress Projects

Next to my 100-year-old people project, I have two other projects that I have been working for a while and that I hope to finish once I make it back to Costa Rica.

The first one was inspired by my good friend Kenneth Carvajal. He is an anthropologist working for the University of Costa Rica in the Caribbean slope. He has been conducting a research about traditional crafts and the artisans in the area, and he invited me to photograph some of these amazing craftsmen and women. One day, with his research and my photographs we hope to make a book.

Here are some of the portraits I have taken so far.

Artesanos de Turrialba — Known as "Platina" in the neighborhood, he is the tailor.

Artesanos Turrialba — Jose Brenes makes furniture with bambu cane. He also made his workshop out of bambu.

The second project was inspired by my good friend and photographer Jose Lopez, who once told me a funny joke: “What do you always find in a Costa Rican town? The church, the plaza and the bar. What makes the town become a city? The chinese restaurant.” That made think of the important contribution Asian cultures have had in Costa Rica (and all over the world) and I decided to do a project about that.

I have been photographing using my Holga the four elements of a “Costa Rican city” – church, plaza, bar and chinese restaurant – everywhere I go. The photographs are taken with 120 mm film and the four frames are juxtaposed. I also would like to make a book out of this project in the future, but I need to visit many more “cities” and I need to do some research about the impact of Asian cultures in Costa Rican culture.

Here are some sets of photographs that I have taken so far.