Al Campo
Brooklyn, NY: Bazan Photos Publishing, 2011. 1st Edition. Quarto. Fine / Fine. Item #13355
Beautiful and quite scarce 1st Edition of Bazan's second documentary of life on the isolated island of Cuba beginning, which he began with the publication of 'Bazan Cuba' in 2008.
Al Campo takes a different path than Cuba, which was comprised of stark black and white silver gelatin works. This collection is filmed in chromogenic color, mostly between 2001-2005 while Bazan was still living on the island. He was forced by the Castro government to leave in 2006.
Boldly inscribed by the photographer on the front endpaper :
"To A----
To a beautiful sunny day here at LOOK 3
Ernesto Bazan"
"I went to Cuba in 1992 and it was love at first sight, for the island and the people. I realized after a few trips that Cuba reminded me so much of my wonderful childhood in Sicily. Time had stopped in Cuba in a way, and so it was a little like Palermo when I was growing up. I met my future wife there and became father of twin boys.
"I realized if I wanted to probe more I had to ask the government if I could really gain access to restricted areas. I wrote a naive letter to Fidel Castro explaining what I wanted to do, with a long list of where I wanted to gain access. To my great surprise, I got a letter a week later saying it was fine to photograph the army, the sugar cane mills, and other things I wanted. I think I am the only foreign photographer to gain so much access. Once I was right in a war game, running with the tanks as they were trying to defend from a possible invasion. It was an interesting experience." - Ernesto Bazan
Black cloth with yellow and green type. Square tight binding. Clean Interior. Dust jacket presents handsomely in archival mylar.
A superior copy of a scarce and very desirable edition.
Price: $250.00