The photographs included with the Roma stories from “1000 Years and Counting” include two different treatments of the same photograph. Why this approach?
One image is a “straight” documentary-style, gelatin-silver photograph paired with a free-form photograph made by applying photographic emulsion (Liquid Light) by hand directly to paper. Juxtaposing two different methodologies is intentional: the documentary photograph provides information clearly and succinctly—the who, what, when, where; the free-form picture appears like a drawing with brush strokes and “mistakes” and offers a more interpretive approach where the viewer may speculate and wonder about the characters.
Two different treatments also offer a powerful conceptual function. The Roma people as a tribe escape categorization. They may appear to be carefree, for example, but their family unit is governed by numerous unwritten laws and strict social taboos. By presenting the contrasting treatments, I am emphasizing the Roma’s dichotomous character and inviting a deeper questioning and understanding of the Roma people.