Digital Photo Array [12]

Photo Galeria - 1973 - Rio - Brazil

TEXT & PHOTOS by Armando Rozário

During a photographic workshop, which was held in 1973 at IBEU in Rio, John Fletcher of The National Geographic Magazine encouraged the participants to organize a photographic gallery in Brazil. Georges Racz and his colleagues thought that it was a good idea and I also joined in and suggested the creation of the "Photo Galeria" of Brazil.

A few months afterwards, nearly a hundred amateur and professional photographers formed an association and photo art exhibits were organized in Rio and São Paulo. All the photographic prints were treated for 'permanence', so that they would not fade nor  stained by chemicals. Each print had a "Ph" test, and an engraved relief seal was stamped over the signature of each print that was exhibited and put on sale. Besides the signature of the author, each print had a serial number of its limited edition.

The first local exhibit was held at TORA, in Ipanema, over a thousand attended the opening night. Full page reports were published in O GLOBO, Jornal do Brasil and O Estado de São Paulo. The second exhibit was held in São Paulo at BONFIGLIOLI, the third   and fourth in Rio. The first internal competition was held amongst the founding members (nearly a hundred), to choose the best photo for a promotional poster for the first exhibit. A dramatic black and white portrait of a Brazilian actress, Adriana Prieto was chosen as the best amongst  a hundred black & white and colour prints.

For those who love photography, I'll describe briefly how the photo was taken. The brother of Adriana is a 'make-up' artist who works for TV and the theatre. I asked him to transform his sister into an actress of the 1920s. Within twenty minutes Adriana was made up and ready for a short session of photos. I used my old Pentax SP, equipped with a 200mm. telephoto lens. I used Kodak Panatomic-X film, and lighted the subject with a dacroid 1000 watt sun gun pointed at the ceiling of the room. The reflected light modeled the actress' face and it was almost identical to the portraits we see of the actresses of the silent movies period. I used a cable release and the camera was set on a tripod. The exposure was about 1/10th. of a second at f:4. I concentrated on the beautiful expressive face of Adriana, I made only full-face close-ups.

The Film was developed with Kodak's Microdol-X and enlarged on Kodabromide paper in the 50x60 cm. format, the image occupied an area of 30x40cm. A Leitz Focamat Ic enlarger was used. Ten prints were made, all of them were numbered and signed by me. A relief seal 'Photo Galeria' was imprinted on my signature. The price which I had set for each print in 1973 was about a hundred dollars per print. A serial edition was made and limited to ten 'original' copies. About 6 were sold within a two month period. I still have one, it isn't in very good condition, because the glass frame fell on the floor and water infiltrated on certain areas of the print. I'll hold this old photograph  of Adriana, and 'snap' it with my Nokia 6265 Phone Camera, you'll have an idea of how it looks like today. You can examine the big photographic print from any angle...... Adriana's eyes will 'always follow you'!

There is another photo in black & white, of my friend Lucinha lighting the cigarette of my wife Maria José. They were sitting at a long wooden bench at artist Augusto Rodrigues' house, waiting for the result of the contest of Photo Galeria. You may see my photo of Adriana on the wall alongside with other photos which were competing for the poster of Photo Galeria. This photo was also taken by my old Pentax, with Kodak Tri-X film. Text and photos from three periods, 1973, 1996 & 2006.....a span of 33 years!

George Racz published a very good account of the Photo Galeria project in 1973. You may read his text, written in Portuguese. You may also read a transcription of a text (in French) which was published in April 1996 in the famous French magazine PHOTO, it was about Photo Galeria!

Now you may read these texts and see photos, posted/published in Macaé's international website: http://www.jornalorebate.com If you have any comments to make, send a few lines to: armando.rozario@gmail.com