Artist Statement - Larry Cwik – The Visitor: 28 Years Photographing Mexico

The work in this series results from a cumulative total of six months spent photographing for this project in Mexico, visiting annually since 1983, to a different large city each year, and walking an estimated 900 miles to date through the streets of Mexican cities, looking for images.

While in Mexico, I often walk ten or more miles daily, letting my subconscious influence where and when I photograph.  The images and scenes that I capture are often mysterious, simple yet enigmatic.  I look for the magical scene that can be discovered by chance.  As I speak Spanish, I can interact with the Mexican people without hindrance.
I first visited Mexico, briefly, as a teenager, in 1977.  It was the first developing nation I visited.  Though I have since travelled widely, nationally and internationally, to developed and developing nations, I keep returning to visit Mexico, and am entranced by it.

Andre Breton, a founder of surrealism, said that Mexico is “the surrealist place par excellence,” and I agree.   Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo also commented on the surreal nature of Mexico.  

Larry Cwik
August  2010