.aesthetic talk
Felipe Romero Beltrán
Boundaries of Photography
written Alban E. Smajli
The captivating world of Felipe Romero Beltrán awaits, where the conventional boundaries of photography dissolve into a mesmerizing mosaic of migrant experiences.
In his latest series, 'Dialect', Romero Beltrán masterfully intertwines elements of documentary, performance, and choreography, inviting viewers on a journey through the intricacies of human existence.
Within 'Dialect', Romero Beltrán uncovers the choreography of human experience, where bodies become vessels for storytelling and movement transcends the constraints of static imagery. Each frame pulses with the rhythm of lived experiences, inviting us to contemplate the profound interplay between individual narratives and collective consciousness.
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
“In 'Dialect,' the (in)communication between documentary, performance, and choreography delivers different approaches to reality. The implementation of these practices, within a traditional medium, allows me to deal or treat both the possibilities and limitations of photography when approaching a social subject.”
Alban E. Smajli
Felipe, your work in 'Dialect' seamlessly integrates documentary, performance, and choreography. How do these elements collectively enhance the narrative of the young migrants’ experiences?
Felipe Romero Beltrán
In 'Dialect,' the (in)communication between documentary, performance, and choreography delivers different approaches to reality. The implementation of these practices, within a traditional medium, allows me to deal or treat both the possibilities and limitations of photography when approaching a social subject.
Can you give an example of how these three elements – documentary, performance, and choreography – interact in a specific piece within 'Dialect' to tell the story of the migrants?
I think the reenactments are a clear example.
In these exercises, at first, incompatible elements appear (the performance as a documentary tool) but at the same time, the guys give me a hand to bring their memories to the image's present.
In 'Dialect', you've captured the 'dead time' of bureaucratic processes. How did you conceptualize and translate this abstract, yet weighty, concept into visual art?
In my opinion, it’s not that abstract but rather palpable. Three years of waiting to be able to access to documentation. It defines the entire project. The visual approach I took was a consequence of the situation I encountered within this group of guys.
You mentioned the three-year waiting period impacting the project. Could you describe how this period of waiting influenced the artistic choices or emotional tone in 'Dialect'?
It allowed me to build an affective space around the project. Otherwise, I might have applied a specific workflow to make the project functional. In 'Dialect', the dynamic was chaotic, visceral, and, above all, open to the possibility of never materializing into a project (for the first two years, I didn't even consider it a project).
Your series not only documents but also politically interrogates. How do you navigate the fine line between artistic expression and political commentary in your photography?
Absolutely. The photographic tradition has a special relationship with this. I attempt, from a personal standpoint, to place some questions through a photographic visual device that start from a specific case in Seville. Given the slippery nature of fine lines, the project's interpretation evolves over time and varies with each viewer.
Considering our theme 'TRANCE', how do you think 'Dialect' resonates with the idea of a collective cultural consciousness, especially in the context of migration and identity?
I like to think of the term Trance from its etymology - passage - (it has the same meaning in Spanish). For 'Dialect', this term signifies a passage, imposed by an external bureaucracy, that gathers a group of guys to live together and generate a social dynamic - external, peripheral - in autonomy from the normalization of society. Something I learned from the project was precisely that autonomy of the group, which over time I also shared, of the collective in spite of the logics that are executed.
You interpret 'Trance' as a passage influenced by external bureaucracy. How does this interpretation manifest in the visual narrative or the choice of subjects in ‘Dialect'?
The choice of subject emerged as a consequence of my photographic work. At the beginning, I was interested in taking pictures about the relationship of the guys with each other, the internal dynamics in this "small society". Then I realized the implications due to their political condition, so I added another layer, where the bureaucracy appears and dictates everything, still, the project is primarily a series of a group of guys.
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
Your work often involves extensive research. Could you share how your research influenced the development and execution of 'Dialect'?
Completely. I've had an academic background, and at the time I was writing my doctoral thesis. Naturally, one cannot isolate the different fields of your work, so I embraced the way of working in a broader sense. It was also a consequence of the time I spent on the project (3 years) that made this research possible.
Photography as a medium often captures a moment in time, but 'Dialect' seems to explore the concept of time itself. How do you approach this temporal aspect in your photography?
In 'Dialect', there are two types of moments: the first, following the documentary tradition, challenges the conventional notion of an 'event'. Rarely does something happen that can be categorized as a distinct moment; instead, it stretches to the point of exhaustion. The second type of moment has to do with the staging of moments already lived and inaccessible to the traditional photographic medium, through reenactment, in a failed attempt, in collaboration with the guys. we look for moments to bring back to reality.
“It allowed me to build an affective space around the project. Otherwise, I might have applied a specific workflow to make the project functional. In 'Dialect', the dynamic was chaotic, visceral, and, above all, open to the possibility of never materializing into a project (for the first two years, I didn't even consider it a project).”
Regarding the two types of moments in 'Dialect', could you provide an example of how you captured a 'moment extended to exhaustion' and its significance in the narrative?
These are moments where nothing happens. The photographic event, very much related to the tradition, is constituted as a lapse of time where something happens. However, in 'Dialect', these moments are drawn out, extending in time due to the prolonged wait for documentation.
The use of the body as a metaphor in 'Dialect' is profound. How do you believe the physical embodiment in your work communicates the psychological and emotional experiences of the individuals you photograph?
Politically, 'Dialect' represents both body and law. In this sense, and from a photographic consciousness, the body plays a fundamental role throughout the project: distances, dispositions on the body, point of view, treatment of light.
In 'Dialect', there's a notable choreographic element. How does dance and movement contribute to the storytelling in your photography?
Each project offers new learning opportunities. As an extension of 'Dialect', I am now working on a choreographic piece where the concept of movement is more explicitly explored.
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
© Felipe Romero Beltrán 2023
courtesy Loose Joints
Could you describe a specific scene or photograph in 'Dialect' where dance and movement played a crucial role in conveying the story or emotion?
The photograph where Youssef, Hamza and Bilal appear. Bilal is fainting lying on Hamza's shoulders and Youssef helps to carry him. This reenactment occurred thanks to the guys' explanation of this memory of Bilal. They played it repeatedly, generating movement around the scene. Given the static image's inability to capture an extended time lapse (unlike cinema), I decided to accentuate this limitation and represent the movement as statically as possible.
Looking ahead, how do you see your photographic style and themes evolving? Are there any new projects or directions you are particularly excited about?
Yes, absolutely. Right now I'm working on some pieces in relation to movement. I'm excited to continue exploring different disciplines that deal with a common subject, as well as a commitment to the photographic image as an autonomous language.
Dialect by Felipe Romero Beltrán is published by Loose Joints
Through to www.loosejoints.biz