In the age of powerful cellular phones, and inexpensive camera equipment, the art of photography is being eroded by the production of the everyday amateur or hobbyist. 3 women who still treat photography as an art form are Barbara Noralez, Helen Laurie and Myrtle Palacio.
They've put together an exhibit called "3X Focus", in which they photographed different subjects in everyday life, and they would like to share them with you. They gave 7News a preview, and told us why the public will appreciate their work:
Barbara Norales - Artist, 3X Focus Exhibit
"If you grew up in Dangriga, your childhood memories in the Garifuna Culture are about the 2-foot cow, and Jan Canoe on Christmas time. So, you know that you used to wake up to the sound of drums, the chericanare getting ready on Boxing Day, and everything. So, that is what I try to capture in all my pictures. In fact, some of my pictures are actual dancing of the Jan Canoe dancing on Christmas Day last year. So, they are not pictures in which the subjects posed to take. They were actually happening at that time."
Myrtle Palacio - Artist, 3X Focus Exhibit
"What I find about the 2 artists is that they capture everyday life, which is exactly what i was doing in doing my socio-cultural research, hence the reason for this exhibition, the 3 women coming together share what they have captured in what is everyday life. For me, it is any culture in Belize, or any culture where I go. Before I hop on a bus, take a plane, or my bicycle, I have my camera because you never know what you may find at the moment. And I am aggressive at getting my picture at the moment, even if I have to stop in the middle of the traffic to get something, because that piece of art disappears if you don't get it at the moment."
Gilvano Swasey - Curator, Image Factory Art Foundation
"The medium is photography, which in Belize is still a new media to work in. Now, especially with a lot of people having digital cameras and access to technology, photography has become even trickier because where do you separate the amateur from the professional or the hobbyist, and so far. And with all the different programs, Photoshop and the other titles they give them, you would think that anybody could be a photographer. But there - Thank God - when it comes to photography as a form of art, there still is a sacred place for it."
The exhibit opens on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Image factory…
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