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Sal Rojas "El Mundo Es Un Barrio" Photo Exhibit Closing Date Oct. 10th
If you haven’t already checked out Sal Rojas’ Photography Gallery “El Mundo Es Un Barrio” make sure to head to Teocintli, at 2717 E. 4th Street, East Los Angeles, CA 90033, before the show closes Friday, October 10 and show the man who created BrownPride.com some love.
The opening reception for the gallery on Saturday, September 13 was perfect. Good vibes. Good company. Perfect atmosphere. Amazing photography. In fact, a piece was purchased within the first 30 minutes of the reception. People came from all over Southern California to take part in the evening’s festivities and view selected works Sal has photographed over the course of the last two to three years.
As the theme of the gallery suggests, the photographs document “the world” as “a barrio.” The collection captures inside views of Mexican and Latin American neighborhoods and ghettos across North America and Europe. The most striking aspect of the gallery is that the subjects are shot in their natural element. His photographs record a single moment during which people are simply living their lives. “My favorite photos are the ones that I don’t plan. The ones that find me, it’s more serendipitous that way,” Sal explains.
One of my personal favorites, “Tunnel of Love” shot in the Neza barrio of Mexico City was one of the photographs that found him. The image captures two anonymous lovers stealing a passionate moment in a large graffiti-filled pipe at a park in Mexico. Curious, I asked Sal if the couple posed for the photograph. He explained to me how the pipe caught his attention, he walked over to take a look and to his surprise, a young couple was cozying up inside. The moment was picture perfect and he couldn’t help but sneak a few shots.
Another great piece on display features hip-hop artist Sick Jacken of The Psycho Realm in mid-performance. “Taking pictures of people performing on stage is really hard. It’s really hard to get a great shot. When I do get a good shot, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment.” The clarity and proximity of this photograph makes the viewer feel like part of Sick Jacken’s concert experience.
As I told him, the gallery is inspirational. What more appropriate setting than a cozy cultural store in the city of his birth and the capital of Chicano Culture, East Los Angeles, to hold the second solo display of his craft. Encapsulating the essence of how Sal sees the world, the quaint shop serves as the perfect forum for the concept of the gallery. Through the lens of his camera, Sal invites viewers to see the world through his perspective, one that he eloquently expresses via his photographs. Go and take a look for yourselves.
written by Jessica Meng
Sal Rojas Official Websites:
SalRojas.com
Sal Rojas Official MySpace
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