Two lost images: the 9th and 10th abandoned photos

 "The wave"

Status: lost!

I have a broken leg and it stops me to go out for leaving photos on the street. That's the result of playing indoor football, definetivelly doing sport is very dangerous for health! Now I'm spending the time reading or "watching" books of photography and also thinking about a photographic task for the blog. But before doing something new, my leg has to be totally recovered. While it happens, I'll continue working on the blog and with the photos abandoned in the past months.

A popular proverb says "No one is a prophet in their own land", certainly it maybe has many interpretations, but for me, it means that achieving an aim in your place is harder than doing that in a faraway land. Any way, sometimes I think I own to many lands and I don't know what's the effect of the proverb on such situation. For the case of the abandon of the "The wave" and the "Sea and rocks" photos, the popular wisdom could be true. Those photos were abandonded in one of "my" lands and I don't know nothing about them! I don't know if someone found them! Well, I'm positive, they should be at a good place but the owner of each photo doesn't want to tell me that.

"Sea and rocks"

Status: lost!

The two lost photos depict water, the sea...water. And the photos were abandoned in a city with much water. There isn't a beach in the place, no, no, no; but the rain usually falls on that city, it's a extremely rainy city. Actually, I took care of leaving the photos on the street on a sunny day to avoid  rain and a consequent damage of the printed photo or the frame because of the water. But the care was in vain, when I just left the photos the sky became cloudy and it started to rain! I thought it was part of the game and it's impossible to beat the Mother Earth. So, I covered the framed photo with a plastic bag and hoped someone took the photo soon. I must say the same story happended for the 2 photos! Did you save any photo from the rain? If you did, please leave a comment on the blog!

Yes! I found a photo on the street! Now what? English, Español,Français and Deutsch version

I found a photo on the street!

Did you find a photo on the street? Congratulations! Read here below what to do now!

¿Encontraste una foto en la calle? Felicidades! Lee aquí abajo que hacer ahora!

Avez-vous trouvé une photo dans la rue? Félicitations! Lire ci-dessous ce qu'il faut faire maintenant!

Haben Sie ein Foto auf der Straße? Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Lesen Sie hier unten was jetzt zu tun!

English

This project will be complete with your help; so please, leave a comment on the blog!  I would like to know your feelings about the photo and the moment you found it. Do you like it? Don’t you? Will you keep it with you? Will you give it as a gift? Whatever, everything is important for the project. And that’s all! No personal information is required. The photo  you have found is an original printing, it’s a signed photo and it has specific written information to identify and prove its authenticity. Please, take care of this photo; I worked very hard to prepare it and leave it on the street and now it’s yours! 

Español

Este proyecto no estará completo sin tu ayuda, por favor visita el blog y deja un comentario. Me gustaría mucho saber lo que sentiste al encontrar la foto. ¿Te gusta la foto?, ¿No te gusta?, ¿La conservarás contigo o la regalarás? ¡Eso es todo! No tiene que dejar ninguna información personal, solo te pido que escribas dónde y cuándo encontraste la foto. El blog está escrito en inglés, pero puedes dejar tu comentario en español si lo prefieres. La foto que tienes en tus manos es una impresión original, es una obra firmada y tiene información específica para identificarla y probar su autenticidad. Por favor, cuida esta foto, he trabajado mucho para prepararla y dejarla en las calles. ¡Y ahora es tu foto!

Français*

Ce projet ne peut pas se poursuivre sans votre aide, laissez un commentaire sur le blog ! Je voudrais connaitre votre sentiment par rapport à la découverte de cette photo, quel qu’il soit, tout est important pour le projet ! Vous aimez la photo ? Vous ne l’aimez pas ? Allez-vous la garder? Allez-vous l’offrir? Aucune information personnelle n’est nécessaire, dites-moi juste où et quand vous avez trouvé la photo. Bien que le blog ait des textes en anglais, vous pouvez laisser votre commentaire en français (ou flamand pour la Belgique).   La photo que vous avez trouvée est un tirage original et une oeuvre authentifiée. Prenez soin de cette photo svp, j’ai beaucoup travaillé pour la préparer avant de l’abandonner dans la rue, et maintenant elle est à vous !

Deutsch*

Dieses Projekt kann nicht ohne Ihre Hilfe weiter gehen, lassen Sie bitte ein Kommentar auf die Website! Ich möchte Ihres Gefühl über die Entdeckung des Bild wissen. Alles is wichtig für das Projekt! Gefällt Ihnen das Bild? Gefällt es Ihnen nicht ? Wollen Sie es halten ? Wollen Sie jemanden es schencken ? Kein persönliche Information ist nötig. Sagen Sie mir nur wo und wann Sie haben das Foto gefunden. Das Foto ist eines originales Bild. Pass Gut auf es auf, ich habe schwer gearbeitet, um es zu vorbereiten und im der Straße verlassen. Und jetzt ist es für Sie!

*Thanks to my friend C.Kottgen for writing the text.

The eighth abandoned photo is...lost!

A burning plain and its metaphors.

Status: lost!

I told the story of this photo in a past comment; briefly, the photo is a personal tribute to Susan Sontag. Because of that, I abandoned the photo on the place where she lies. Even a note on the back of the framed photo invites to take it, I don't think people do it. On the gravestone, the photo isn't just a photo, it´s an offering, the photo is more than an artistic object, it's a symbolic and sacred object. On a gravestone the most simple and strange thing can be the most honorable object. People don't usuallly take an offering that has been made for someone. So, I must say I'm not surprised because I don't have news about "A burning plain and its methaphors" becasue I think that people have seen the photo think  it's an offering to Sontag. 

In the Parisian cementary where Sontag rest in peace there are many graves with offerings. Some tombstones look like an altar, that's the case of the Serge Gainsbourg's tombstone. Ok, that's a cult place! But there are some others graves with symbolic objects, graves of "no famous people". I was very surprised and charmed seeing those graves, I didn't expect that kind of cult to dead in a French cementery. In México, there is a especial festivity for leaving offering to dead people, it's called "The day of the dead". It happens every year on November 2nd, that day people offer everything you can imagine, for instance typical food, tequila, beer, cigarretes, personal stuff, photos, coins, everything! However the rest of the year there are only flowers on the tombs. I suppose that for many people, whatever time of the year or the place, is important to put something special on the gravestone of their beloved people. I hope someone will do that to me. By the way, if you have the eighth abandoned photo with you, will you tell me that? Will you do that for me?

A quiet fairly tale on a gravestone.

A Parisian Christmas tale on a gravestone.

Lost! The seventh abandoned photo!

I have to eat that prickly pear.

Status: lost!

"I have to eat that prickly pear" is a photo about crazy love. It's about a forbidden fruit, about a dangerous fruit! Whatever...it's a photo I like it. When I walked in front of that red wall, with that window with a heart drawn with a finger on the glass I knew that was the right place to abandon the photo. And next to the window, there were those photos showing actors, actresses, singers, musicians and dancers...it was perfect! That's love! That's a crazy love! Red as a heart, red as blood, and full of music and dance! So, let's go to look for that prickly pear! Who cares if it does hurt? Have you found it? Please, let me know it...

Lost! The sixth abandoned photo!

The Juggler. 

Status: lost!

I'm back! I´ve left the blog because I've been busy looking for a job and it takes time, that's the real life! Althought I prefer to see the life at a photography depicting the reality, my reality. Now, I'm having time to spent on my photographic work, even I don't find a job yet! So, to re-start with the comments, here is another one with a lost photo, the sixth photo, aka "The Juggler". This photo was abandoned on November 25th, it was 2 months ago! And I don't have news about it...Did somebody find it? Yes, no? I hope someone did it...I don't know, maybe the person who found the photo doesn't want to leave a comment, and that's all! If you, my dear reader, could give me advice about how to make people to write a comment, please let me know it! Ideas are welcome! I'm going to think about it too!

Fourteenth abandoned photo: The gestation of the lizard

The gestation of the lizard, released on: 11/01/2012

Size: 20 x 25 cm

Frame: 23 x 33 cm

Francisco Toledo is one of the most important Mexican artists and one of my favorite artists too. His artistic production involves painting and sculpture depicting animals or legends of his native place, Oaxaca. Despite his fame, Toledo dislikes to talk in public or give an interview, he never plays a role of "art star" because he's focused on his artistic production and that's most important for him. 

Few years ago, Toledo created a large scale sculpture, "La lagartera" (The lizard's place). He worked several months in Monterrey (MX) to produce the sculpture. At that time I was in Monterrey, so I decided to look for the place Toledo was working in the Lagartera and try to talk with him. I looked for the place with a friend. Because we didn't know the address (it was a secret to avoid onlookers), we took a car and drove on the streets of the neighborhood which the Toledo's studio was located. First day we didn't find the place but we got good clues, second day we arrived at the Toledo's studio, but he wasn't there that day! Next day we arrived at place and Toledo was working in the Lagartera. It was amazing! We saw Toledo while he was working and we stay there, just watching and enjoying of the magic calm of that man. After he finished his work, we had some minutes to talk with him and then he said goodbay and went out the place to take a taxi such as the most common person in the world. Again, we went to meet him but that time we invited to take our car with us to give him a lift. He said: "You don't look like kidnappers,  Ok let's go". What a magical moment! Francisco Toledo was in my car! We talked about many things, about Monterrey, about Juchitán, his native town in Oaxaca, about the wind, about our families, many things in a short time. That day is one of the best days of my life. "The gestation of the lizard" is an image of that day.

                                          La Lagartera, sculpture by Francisco Toledo

Twelfth abandoned photo: Thoughts. Found!

 "Thoughts", the twelfth abandoned photo was found on the streets of México City, México.

Happy New Year! The year 2012 started few days ago, so it's still good time to celebrate a new year! Well, every day is a good day to celebrate something. Today, I'm celebrating that the twelfth abandoned photo was found! In fact, it was found weeks ago (the last year!), but I decided to tell it until now. I'll expain my decision.

I got an email from the person who found the photo, I got it the day after I left the photo!  He told me a very nice story about how he found the photography, thus I kindly ask him to visit the blog for telling the story.  I've waited several weeks for his answer or his comment at the blog. But sadly I haven't news from him. Hence, I thought "What should I do?" A) Don't tell the photo was found  B) To tell the photo was found but don't tell the guy's story, C) To tell the photo was found and tell the guy's story. What ethical issue! I mean, the original idea of the project is to get the feedback of people who find the photography. And I got it... but in my email addresse, what's it's very nice too, but not at the blog. Maybe the man doesn't want to share his story. If it was the case...Do I have the right of telling the story? Would people believe that someone find the photo? Would people think I invented the story? Would people think I lie about the story? Arghhh! It was hard to decide what to do! That's the reason why I waited to say something about the finding of the twelfth abandoned photo! Finally, I took a decision. 

Evidently, I decided to tell the photo was found. Also I decided to tell the story. Of course, I'll protect anonymity of the man. I hope he will confirm truthfulness of the story if he visit the blog. I trust readers will believe that the photo was found and a real person told me the story. I must say the story was written in  Spanish, so I wrote a version in English.

"It was a magic experience. I was doing bicycling and I passed in front of a bench a first time. I saw a beautiful woman at the bench, she looked at my eyes and I looked at her eyes. I passed in front of the bench a second time. I did it again a third time because I expected to watch the woman again, however she wasn´t there anymore. Instead of the woman, there was a photo on the bench. I passed in front of the place a fourth time and I couldn't resist my curiosity about the photo so I stopped my bicycle. At same time, a man arrived at the bench, saw the photo and told me "You should put a votive candle next to the image". I thought " in this country all people want to put a votive candle next to any kind of image" (I found the photo at the Guadalupe Virgin's Day). My first thought about the photo was "Wow, Who´s he? Rasputin? Arturo Rivera? I watched attentively the photo and then the phantom images appeared. Now I have to go out,but I would like to tell you more about this so magical experience. I'm a visual artist and I understand your artistic language. You've created feelings. Regards. We keep in touch. 


And that's the story. Of course I´m not the mysterious beautiful woman at the bench! I'm the photographer who took the photo of the story!

I really thank to the man who told me he found the photo, I'm very happy to know he has the "Thoughts"!

The original story is here:

"Fue una experiencia mágica, primero pasé con mi bicicleta y vi en una banca del parque a una mujer muy hermosa que me miró a los ojos fijamente y yo a ella, al dar una segunda y tercera vuelta al porque, al querer encontrar a esa mujer de nuevo solamente encontré una fotografía recargada en la banca del parque, hasta la cuarta vuelta no pudo más mi curiosidad y me detuve ante la banca y ante la foto, coincidí con un señor que se acercaba y que dijo "hay que ponerle una veladora", pensé: "en este país a cada imagen le quieren poner una veladora" (día de la Guadalupe). Mi primera reacción al ver la foto fue: "orale, ¿Es Rasputín? ¿Arturo Rivera? Ahora tengo que salir, pero me gustaría seguirles contando de esta experiencia tan mágica. Yo soy artista plástico y entiendo muy bien tu lenguaje. Un abrazo, generaste cosas. Seguimos en contacto."

Muchas gracias por escribir tu historia, ¡espero no te moleste que la haya compartido! ¡Un gran abrazo! Y espero algún día dejes un mensaje. ¡Gracias por hacer este proyecto una realidad!