Tuesday, February 8, 2011

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN: NICHO SHRINES FROM CEMETERIES IN NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO





Laurie Zuckerman is developing a book of her photography of cemetery nichos from the Southwest and Mexico. I am hoping to complete this extensive project this year. I am working through years of photograph journeys and have begun to layout the 160-page book. For a taste of what my collection will contain, here are three of my favorite photos of vandalized nichos with missing or disintegrated plaster saints. Vandalism and neglect in Hispanic Catholic graveyards in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas is sadly rampant. These two particular gravestones from Colorado date back to approximately the 1930s and 40s. It is impossible to know when they were damaged. The startling quality of these nichos is the lasting impression cast by the saint that once sat protected under the thick curved glass. If you are familiar with Jim Dine's drawings of men's robes, you might see the similarity that I see. Dine's robes float with no human head or body. Down in New Mexico I found this first nicho with the Infant of Prague's head fallen off and teetering.

Please visit Rebecca Brooks' blog for more links to images and thoughts in her weekly post, Stumbling Toward Ecstasy:  http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/2011/02/stumbling.html

5 comments:

  1. As I said . . . tragic . . . where does life go . . . where did it go . .
    These are beautiful evocations of the deepest part of human experience.

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  2. This is great - glad I came across your blog!
    Laurie
    The Graveyard Detective

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  3. like the Jim Dine connection, Laurie. beautiful shots. kp

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  4. I sure am glad I came across your blog. I love it. Hope you don't mind if I follow you because you sure do have an interesting blog. Have a great weekend. Great photos.

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  5. as always...your eye for beauty stuns me.
    you are recording soul stories.
    there is a compelling power to your passion and gift.

    just today i unveiled the list of those who will shrine. thank you laurie for being a generous force in this spirited group of artists.
    come by and see the greatness of love finding form in a shared nod to mexico!

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