Magic Realism Group

Question:

lornanewman
lornanewman
Student
College - Senior

I am currently writing my dissertation, and I am looking at Magical Realism and its link to photography but i am struggling to find work/artists.

I thought Pedro Myer and Joan Foncuberta's work was a good example but i have found nothing suggesting it is and i have done loads of reaserch. Can you help?

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Posted by lornanewman on Monday October 15, 2007 at 12:23 PM and tagged with magic realism, photography.

Answers:


  1. blazedale

    eNotes Editor

    One way to approach this would be to focus on what photography as a medium means, rather then looking for photographers whose work is specifically similar to the magical realist genre.

    For example, the images found on the site linked below, from South America in the years 1840-1920 could almost be seen as analogous to the characters in 100 Years of Solitude. While they were not created to be magic realist works of art, what is more magical then a photograph, especially in a world where the art form is new? 

    You could approach the idea, which I think is a great one, from the impact that photography had in general in South America, and how this "magic" art form ended up informing and perhaps inspiring another-- the magic realism genre.

    The New York Times article linked below also has info on the introduction of photography to Latin America and the impact it had. Please let us know how your work goes.

    Sources:
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5D915...
    http://www.geocities.com/alloni1/home

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    Posted by blazedale on Monday October 15, 2007 at 4:53 PM


  2. blacksheepunite Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Great question! 

    Are you looking strictly for for photographers/ visual artists or writers?

    If photography/ visual art, I assume you've started with Franz Roh? and, though he's more of a surrealist...Man Ray

    also try: Shirin Neshat; Julien Pacaud

    If you are willing to include other visual artists, you might also want to look at: Rob Gonzalves; Mati Klarwein;Ivan Albright;George Tooker; Lori Field; Richard Selesnick and Nicholas Kahn; Carrie Ann Baade (maybe too surreal)

    Film

    Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labrynth)

    If text:

    Marquez, Isabel Allende, Alejando Carpentier, Yan Martel, Salman Rushdie, Laura Esquivel

    Hope this helps

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    Posted by blacksheepunite on Monday October 15, 2007 at 10:14 PM


  3. jamie-wheeler Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    Couldn't Man Ray's work be considered a variation on magical realism?  He certainly took everyday objects and infused them with mystery. 

    Also, a more modern link might be to the videographer Bill Viola.  If you are not familiar with his work, you must check it out!!  

    http://www.billviola.com 

    Sources:
    http://www.manray-photo.com/catalog/index.php

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    Posted by jamie-wheeler on Sunday October 21, 2007 at 7:02 AM