PASCUA

“PASCUA” was included in and inspired the concept for the exhibition “Desert Serenade” curated by Christie Davies for the Lannan Foundation. (2014) 

Easter Sunday 2012 and 2013, I photographed White Sands in New Mexico. Traditionally families from this border region celebrate Easter, Pascua, there. For this project the White Sands images are paired with oceanscapes from the Atlantic Ocean as the minerals of the sand dunes and the gypsum carry the memory of the ocean that was there millions of years ago.

I can still “hear the silence,” the happy silence of so many people interconnected on the White Dunes engaging in beach activities far away from any large body of water. Simultaneous, multiple activities on this sloped white hill, appear as if layers of different people and activities were choreographed, yet they are all parallel realities of various groupings enjoying Pascua. Endless sweeping sand hills, crowned on their border with enormous snow-covered mountains in the far distance.

The white sand signifies purity to us even though the contrary is the case. Since the 1940s military tests including missile tests have been conducted here. About twice monthly the whole area is closed for testing. This pure white paradise, no doubt, is harboring harmful rays. Yet, once a year, border families gather for a peaceful time, violence, anger, and fear swept away for a day.

edition 1/3  aquired by the Getty Museum and Research Institute, thanks to Mihail S Lari / Scott Murray
edition 2/3 aquired by Center for Creative Photography, Tucson , AZ, thanks to the Lannan Foundation
edition 3/3 possession of the artist, Mana Contemporary and Monira Foundation, Open Book exhibition.

“PASCUA” was included in and inspired the concept for the exhibition “Desert Serenade” curated by
Christie Davies for the Lannan Foundation. (2014)

Inspired by “PASCUA” Radius Books published “Ocean | Desert”, available via Radius Books  with essay by Janet Dees, Assistant Director of Arts, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Book information:
20 pages, archival pigment prints on fine art archival art paper
Image size: 12×36 Trim size / paper size: 17×41
Open book size : 84 inches (7 feet)
Bound, hand stitched and hinged as paper book, pages interlaced with thin mylar cover and back thicker mylar
Bound book in lipped box with lid, covered in German grey linen and foil stamped title and artist name.

Archival printing: Renate Aller
Book binding: Mark Tomlinson and Renate Aller