The Bronx Documentary Center

I visited the Bronx Documentary Center to view the words of different Mexican photographers. It was unlike anything that I had expected. The photos which were on display were dark in tone, but yet simple. The simplicity was because some photos were of simple everyday family moments. One photo in particular is with a guy who was playing some sort of instrument in the supermarket surrounded by numerous people simply buying groceries. The darkness which was conveyed was heart wrenching and very realistic and its dark nature. These pictures were all too real. They were centered around the drug cartel, which is a realistic but all too tragic reality which is being lived out in Mexico. There were also various iPods on the wall which were used to display photos of the dead bodies of the people who were victims of the trafficking reality. The quality of these photos were clear and displayed a quality that conveyed the message of pain far beyond the frame. Even the photos of kids being kids were brought about in a sad and haunting way. The photos were done by five Mexican and Mexican American photographers.  These photographers focus their lenses  primarily on the complex duality of their experiences and also on the United States in general. Clearly the message these photographers wanted to convey was the harsh reality that the Mexican people are facing each and every day which is a part of their daily lives.  The documentary center displayed these photographs in such a realistic way that even the lighting played into the mood of these photos. I left the documentary center with a sad feeling that the reality that we are living in America is blinded to. A blessing that we all take for granted in our daily lives. It makes me appreciate the blessing to be living in this country but also made me sad for those Mexican people.