Our Border by David Rochkind

Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just have a passing interest in photography, don't miss the article on page C1 of yesterday's New York Times by Randy Kennedy, Treasures From an Underground Trove. The big news is that, for the first time ever, a small portion of the subterranean National Geographic Society photo archives in Washington are being unearthed for an upcoming gallery show in Chelsea. While there will surely be controversy about the possible sale of these artifacts to private collectors, the part of the article that most interested me was this comment by Maura A. Mulvihill, vice president for the society's image collection and sales:

Photojournalism has really only recently been recognized in the fine-art world... And we are sitting on this vast, amazing collection, and started wanting to find a way to get it out into the world.

This quote in particular strikes a chord with me because just yesterday we received an entry from Mexico City-based contender David Rochkind, whose entire practice straddles the line between fine art photography and photojournalism. The photograph above is from his series Heat, about which he writes:

Heat is a project about Mexico while it is undergoing a transformation caused by a drug war that has seen inconceivable brutality and violence. The drama is played out on a daily basis and is becoming routine, even banal, to those involved. The wounds of the war bleed into every corner of the country, staining the very fabric of Mexican life with violence, death and fear. I am fascinated by the space between what Mexico has always been and what this carnage is creating. The heat of the conflict is melting two worlds together, making a singular Mexico defined as much by violence and tension as by history and culture.

Differently from many fine art photographers, on David's website each photo has a caption and each series has a story. As he writes, "I want to draw viewers in with beauty, engage them with social conscience and, finally, force an emotional investment in the picture from shared feeling and experience." To think that photojournalistic content is only just emerging from its role as strictly news blows my mind. In a way, David's combination of fine art and photojournalism parallels the "melting of two worlds" shown in his captivating images.