http://www.flickr.com/photos/yangningyuan/sets/72157618735685533/show/
Cherie mentioned these fine photographs by Paul N. Yang. These are from the Denver Memorial Day Festival.
The magic in tango that we search for, that seems to go missing for periods of time, is captured in faces here. The artist's eye has managed to journey through all the noise, the scene, even the time. We don't recognize the room, the city, the festival. We are provided a doorway into the invisible and the elusive, the tango that has no words, no home country, no experts, no interviews. Can we see it and hold it for a split second?
The faces! Every person is beautiful when they are in the moment of tango. Every couple is in a private world of meditation together.
As an aside, the fact that these subjects are not all very young, or hip, or trendy. (I notice this because it is rare to see so many older dancers here, and god I wish there were more! The kids are getting on my nerves.) The viewer is not made aware of fashion statements. Timeless. This work is timeless. But modern in a way. The viewer is a little bit of a voyeur, which is timely I think..the documentary feel put into the very breath between people. Not theater, but reality done with class and sensitivity.
I guess you can tell, I love this work. Also, because I am drawing every day, trying to capture the faces and only now and then nailing it.
I take the camera to milongas, and really need to stop because it drives me crazy to see something and then watch it disappear like smoke right when I try to catch it. I want to catch it really I do, but it is wild and sneaky and shy. I am using the camera of course as a note taking machine, not as an artistic tool. I wonder how this artist can get past all the crap and into the beauty. A trick I would like to master. Well, he does it because he really has a passion to get to it. And he owns that part of it clearly.
But then, that is the art problem. The one that is damn near as engaging as finding tango. My hunt continues.
Thanks Cherie, and Paul.
For another view, especially of the milonga world of Buenos Aires see the work of Jingzi : http://www.jingziphotography.com/tango/clubespanol/index.html
These are stunning as well. We were once both part of an exhibit of tango art.
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5 comments:
Beautiful post!
Of course you have an artist's eye. And I know Paul will be pleased that you saw what you did in his photos.
Please also check out, if you haven't already, Jingzi's photos of faces in the old Club Espanol. I find her work very moving as well.
http://www.jingziphotography.com/tango/clubespanol/index.html
Thanks Cherie, I have updated the entry at the end with a link to Jingzi's work too.
The jingziphotography pictures capture it all. They almost took my breath away - and not just the faces but the details of clothing on bodies & the intimacy of that.
I hadn't seen them before, so thanks Cherie and Elizabeth... wonderful. Oh how I would have loved the chance to dance in Club Español.
SC
Sally, Glad you saw those. I thought they had all gone around the loop a while back, so putting them up was a good idea.
XO
E
I love those pictures too. The real deal.
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks for sharing the slide show created by Jingziphotography. I think those pictures really capture the emotions and the character of the people that make this dance.
I love the pictures!
Cheers,
-h
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