Daniel Orlando Lara Tula Tamaulipas, Mexico

Lives and works in Tula Tamaulipas Mexico. He studied at Centro de Arte Fotográfico Saul Serrano in México City (2001), at the National School of Photography in Arles France as a resident student (2007) and Seminario de Fotografía Contemporánea at Centro de la imagen in Mexico City (2010) He participated in the residency program “Picture Berlin Program” in 2011 sponsored by Tamaulipas State Governement(Mexico) and in the Arteles residency program with a project grant ”Fuego del Zorro” from Fondo Regional para la Cultura y las Artes 2011 (northeast region México). He also participated Atelier Smedsby­ JH Engstrom, Paris France 2012­2013. He ́s interested in approaching photography in several ways.

FUEGO DEL ZORRO / REVONTULET
Digital photography

At the beginning of the residency in Arteles the project was a little difi cult about the phenommenon. So i started with two premises: making a drawing and a writing a prayer like an act of faith about the fi nnish nature; inspiring in exvotos (religious naif painting from mexico)

“ Dear Aurora Borealis, if i get to see you in the Haukijärvi night, i promise to be a better person, if you suddenly appear in the wood, your presence will be a honor for me during my residence in Arteles following my steps and take care us; the other residents, my friends and my family. Kiitos“

The project explore my experience in Finland with the culture and the fi nnish nature during the residency, searching the northern lights in Haujikarvi. I started to use my imagination, perception and intuition just to create a serie of situations, accions and reaccions, some steps to get watch the northern lights and what will happened about these day.

Daniel Orlando Lara

Daniel Orlando Lara was chosen by photographer Lou Conboy.

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Laatikkomo’s interview with Daniel Orlando Lara, May 19th, 2015.

L:  Where are you from? What cities, and/or countries have you lived in – or what places have influenced you?

DOL:  I m from  northeastern Mexico (Tula Tamaulipas) I have lived in different cities (Arles, Paris Fr, Berlin Germany, Warsaw Poland, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City) I think that everyone has a special energy and all have received influence in many ways.

What is your earliest memory of photography?

DOL:  I remember the Polaroid camera from my mother. When I was a child my mother took pictures of us in family and school events, also photo albums

L:  What traits from your cultural history do you think are apparent in the photographs you currently make, – or are they?

DOL:  I have the influence of my parents; My mother works with his hands, doing needle-work, knitting and crochet and my father used to write rhymes (verses), in the family we like to talk about dreams and their meanings. I live in a place that is full of customs and traditions. Surely I have the influence of Mexican photographers and painters.

L:  Many of your projects seem to be different, specifically process based, projects rather that on going series. How do you choose the themes or subjects for your projects?

DOL:  It depends of the place, the weather for example always alter or modify my mood, also it depends on the circumstances to work in time and space . Each project or residency it means a challenge and an adventure but always thinking express an idea through images, also thinking of doing something new and creative.

L:  The work you are showing in laatikkomo was made during an artist residency at Arteles in Hämeenkyrö, Finland (coincidentally). How did this residency affect your work? And what kind of lasting influence has this residency had on your work (or has it)? 

DOL:  Snow, silence and sauna were a fundamental part during residency; the experience of being in a sauna and then plunge into a lake almost frozen in the night. It was unforgettable. I made new friends from different countries. Finnish photographers, many things changed my perspective in the residence and helped me make self-portrait, something I had never done and then I continued doing self-portrait in the project realized at Atelier Smedsby.

L:  The collection of images in your series are not presented together as a linear narration, rather each image seems to tell its own small story from an almost unrelated angle. Does this series have another overlaying story in it?

DOL:  The series also speaks of persistence, patience and faith, boundaries between imagination, dreams and reality.

L:  From looking at a few of your series, it seems that you often use different materials and processes in the creation of your images such as drawing, reading, performance, etc. Besides photography, what is your favourite medium to work with?

DOL:  In the series Revontulet i did sketches, drawings, installations, text and performative actions for the camera to photograph after. I have a special relationship with photography and it is the medium that I use to express myself.

L:  Could you list 5 (or more) words you were thinking about when you made this series (shown in Laatikkomo)?

DOL:  Imagination, Faith, Revontulet, Isolation, Dreams, Creative, Naïf

Thank you Daniel!