We were in the newspapers (in english)
Hey guys!
Matias of enespanol translate the article that was published in La voz del interior (cordoba, argentina)
What would the picture of the world look like if it had 36 authors, from different latitudes? That’s what Wojtek Gil’s - a 32-year-old photo-journalist from Poland that has lived in Los ¡ngeles for the past 4 years - intends to reveal with the project “Around the World in One Camera”.
It’s a personal idea that consists of a - very special by the way - photographic camera that will be handed over between different countries, with one representative photograph of each. “There are 36 photographers in 36 different countries. That means 36 different points of view in a single photo film. Weird enough, isn’t it?” said Wojtek in an e-mail interview with this newspaper.
“Photography has been my passion, one day I was having a relaxing bath and I wondered: ‘What could I do to satisfy my desire for adventure and my passion for photography?’ The answer to the first part of the question was immediate: adventure means travelling to me. And passion for photography could be satisfied by taking pictures. When those things are combined a camera traveling around the world will arise. I jumped out of the shower and I knew that was the way!” Wojtek said to La Voz del Interior
It so happens that the travelling camera is visiting Argentina this days, and CÛrdoba has been chosen to be the symbol of our country to the eyes of the world. Multimedia designer and blogger from CÛrdoba Gabriel GarcÌa Marengo (25) was the chosen Argentinian representative for this event. “Wojtek left a comment in my photo-blog (www.gatodegrandesbotas.com/photoblog) to tell me he had chosen me. I think it was the subject of the pictures I take: city images, urbanism, people’s moments” he explains a week after getting the camera.
The odyssey of the camera can be followed through a blog (http://aroundtheworldinonecamera.wojtekgil.com) where participants comment about they have received the camera, their thoughts about the project or bureaucracy to take the box from one country to the next one.
With a contagious emotion, Gabriel tells that he received the box with the camera at his work’s office. “I was very anxious about receiving it, even more what other participants have taken down in the notebook”, he adds. It’s that, other than the camera, this Argentinian received a notebook where there are 2 pages reserved for each of the trip members t write about his country and the experience of taking part on such network. “Is like the concept of a blog, but in paper” he points out.
Instructions about how to use the camera is also included in the package because of it being an historical model: a Russian compact camera called Lomo (”Lomo Kompakt Automat”), able to take 4 photographs in a single shot.
“Lomo’s are known because of being precise and profound and because of taking good pictures under all conditions. They were invented during Cold War and a worldwide movement with it’s own rules. The concept can be summarized in: don’t think so much and take the pictures you want to” Gabriel tells.
Lomography, “Lomo”’s cult movement, was born in Prague 1991 when two Vienna students discovered the camera. The movement encourages free experimentation with photography under the motto “anyone can be an artist”. Wojtek confesses to be a fan of this movement and considers it fun.
Right now the camera has a 36-pictures film, which content is unknown to all authors and will finally be revealed when Wojtek gets it back. “I hope to set up a show with all pictures taken during the trip and publish an album including the pictures and brief stories about the life of it’s authors and their countries” he explains.
The project does not count with any external financial support, both it’s creator as the participants cover the camera’s travel expenses. “The idea of the project is not making money but just to have a lot of fun. That’s the reason I’ve not asked for any contribution. If anyone’s willing to help he’ll be very welcome; otherwise, I really want the project to continue anyway” Wojtek says.
From CÛrdoba, Gabriel does not fully reveal his intentions and expects better weather conditions to get the perfect shot. “I’m not going to tell you what the picture is about, but I have already decided on it. All the same, none of us know about each other’s pictures and there is a lot of freedom about it” he says. The camera is probably going to Chile from here.
Till now, everything is expectation and the movement generated around the project combines artistic experience, human faces, ideas originated in old technologies like the camera and the powerful worldwide reach of the Internet.
Wojtek is really grateful of having been able to get to know “marvelous and passionate people all around the world” during the five months this has been going on. “This experience has taught me one more time that we can be divided into nations, religions and politics but, deep in our hearts, we all share the same feelings and passions”.
