CARTAGENA, Alejandro - Carpoolers - 1ST PRINT RUN, AS SIGNED COPY!

Background information

"The current, third print run of the photo book title 'Carpoolers' is offered here. This is very different from the out of print first edition (!). This third edition is a bit smaller and has a thinner cardboard cover. The rectangular cut-out of the first edition was replaced by an applied, isolated image that shows two people lying down, one of whom is reading the newspaper. Such newspapers are taken from the pin-up photos that Alejandro CARTAGENA pasted into the inside and thus made a reference to the people shown in the volume, because the photo book 'Carpoolers' does an amazing job: we look directly at the loading area of Mexican pickups, that transport very different loads. The choice of location (possibly from a bridge) results in still photos and half-views.

Content

In some photos we see unexpected protagonists - workers, travelers, refugees - in the face. Alejandro CARTAGENA focuses particularly on these promoted workers in the Mexican-American border area. Due to the always the same size and positioning of the wagons and thus the goods to be transported, an exciting series is created, which is only interrupted from time to time by transported things and half pages, which give the upward view of the people (sky, bridges from below, etc .). Thanks to the exciting editing and the inserted half pages, the book unfolds a special dynamic despite the order. The volume experiences an increase in the absurd towards the end when multiple exposures even make Jessica McDonald's text illegible. This documentary work also draws attention to the sociological and economic aspects of the Mexican-American economy. The volume does not contain any information in text form!" ( © Richard G. SPORLEDER)

About Mexican photographer, Alejandro CARTAGENA

Photo books by Alejandro CARTAGENA