- Abuelos nació en AZ y en México
- Pictures are representations de “mi familia”
- Barria Hollywood, nowhere close to LA but had a large Mexican population
- His father worked on the railroads and as a lumberjack
- He died while José was young
- He was interested in photography early in life
- He watched reporters at an early age to see what they would ask and write down
- Wanted to be a reporter for the paper but began taking photos
- Got his first camera from a pawn shop
- Took pictures of “su familia y su barrio”
- Had his first exhibition when he was 21 or 22 years old
- El Driego Elementary School
- First experience of prejudice
- If students spoke Spanish they would be slapped on the wrist
- Teachers did not explain why it was bad or that they would need to know English later
- Started to forget Spanish and still has deficiencies that he is embarrassed of
- Family lived in AZ since the 1840s so he is from Mexico but did not immigrate here
- Galvez moved to NC about 9 years ago
- Most of the Hispanic people who live in NC are immigrants
- Speak Spanish mostly
- People he speaks to do not think he is fully Mexican
- Questions
- How does your (Galvez’s) perspective change when taking photos?
- Not just thinking about what is currently going on
- Think about what the image is saying and the culture
- Do you try to critique American culture w/ photos
- Tries to capture real life
- Portray American Dream, people who want what we have
- Do you encounter racism or prejudice as an artist?
- Some stereotypes
- Some critiques say that Galvez is always doing the same, old stuff
- Not much outright prejudice just some stereotypes
- Why are the photos in black and white?
- Color takes away from the content of the photo
- The viewer is more interested in the color than the photo
- Black and white draws you into the photo
- Why did you move to NC? And what do you miss from AZ?
- He moved to be closer to his wife’s family in Charlottesville, VA
- He is staying a couple blocks from Duke University
- His messes the “Barrios” and the Chicano culture in AZ
- How are Mexican Americans portrayed in pop culture
- Misunderstood and generalizations
- Not as many representations of the “lazy Mexican”
- Modern family has a stereotyped Latina women
- How does your (Galvez’s) perspective change when taking photos?
- “Te crees”
- Galvez experienced some tension with his family
- His family felt that he didn’t want to associate with them because he was too good for them
- He is better than us because he is out of the Barrio and he does not have Chicano friends
- Family sometimes did not view his work highly
- Galvez wanted his work to prove itself, he didn’t want to have to prove himself to other people
- He may have “escaped” from the Barrio but that does not mean her forgot
- The only thing that mattered to his mother was the money, he had an interesting relationship with his mother
- Recently got respect from his family
Apuntes 26 de Septiembre
October 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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