The Mayan Legacy of Mexico

As a photographer almost everything related to culture and art seems to inspire me. I believe that fashion is one of the most visually stimulating industries; capable of incorporating all manners of inspiration, refined within the borders of an unapologetically constructed set. 

 

 

My recent visit to the Mayan Mexican ruins is a perfect example of being inspired outside of the fashion industry, into the depths of culture and history. A topic which, in many ways, is so far from contemporary fashion but could so beautifully be incorporated into a shoot. 
 

As I'm sure many of you are aware, Mayan legacy has caused quite a stir over the last couple of months, with their calendar reaching an abrupt halt in December 2012 during the winter 'doomsday' solstice. 

The truth about the Mayan calendar is that it is fixed in an everlasting cycle; each calender lasting 52 years- each marking a fresh beginning of new life. The concept of new life within each cycle was symbolised by building a new layer over shrines and pyramids. 

During our visit to Coba we hired a guide to talk through the site and the Mayan way of life. This was a fantastic experience, fascinating speaking to a direct ancestor of the Mayan era. One fact that I found particularly interesting (and slightly shocking to have not previously known) was that original pyramids were built with 3 slanted sides and one flat, vertical side at the back. When the Toltec's later came and invaded sites they often made their mark by building a new layer on top with 4 sides, thus reforming Mayan architecture. Even 'Chichen Itza' was adapted through a Toltec reform, heightening my personal appreciation of visiting Coba, an original unaltered site.

The Mayan period was defined by power, with large religious buildings at the forefront of this. Land in the Mexican providence of Yucatan is extremely flat, further emphasising the grandeur of the pyramid structures, their height symbolic to being close to the gods. 

The projection of power and status was so fundamental, a common procedure of the elite upper class was to place babies (newborns up to the age of one) into a vice like mechanism, gradually flattening the top of their skull to form a flattened forehead. This procedure was to appear more 'godlike'. 

...I wonder what child protection laws would say about that now?!

The initial images which sprung to mind of Mayan structures (before I visited Mexico) are those from the Mel Gibson Hollywood adaptation 'Apocolypto'; of high status leaders at the top of the pyramid gruesomely sacrificing neighboring communities. Our guide at Coba assured us this only took place during and after the Toltec invasion, with previous emphasis on self sacrifice through piercings and scarring tattoos alone. 

It is inevitable that we will never be fully enlightened on Mayan civilisation. Communication was largely engraved on limestone, a stone compound both weak and highly erosive over time. 

The final aspect (and ritual) of late Mayan culture which I found particularly interesting lie in the serenity of the cenotes; naturally formed sinkholes found exclusively in the Yucatan peninsula. It was here where they made sacrifices in pursuit of pleasing the ran god Chaac. Offerings of gold, jade, obsidian, shell, wood and cloth (recently found at the largest cenote in the grounds of Chichen Itza) in addition to skeletons of children and men; children as they were deemed as 'pure' sacrifices.

Mayan civilization is one of the the most mysteriously compelling pre-classic establishments in history. They were knowledgeable astronomists and dedicated spiritual followers- devoting their lives to their beliefs.

www.aliceluker.co.uk

Visiting Mexico: Food, Culture and Facts

As you arrive in Cancun airport you may feel quite overwhelmed by the influx of eager holidaymakers- I certainly experienced this firsthand being part of a seemingly never ending cue for foreign immigration- you could almost see the tumbleweed roll out from the Mexican 'locals' area...

Cancun is one of the biggest tourist hotspots- at this time of year largely filled with Canadians and Americans fleeing their snow capped homes for a more preferable alternate. There is also a splash of european holidaymakers (myself included of course) attempting the same sunshine escape.

Usually one for avoiding 'tourist trap' offerings, we did walk past (shielded by the glass wall of arrivals) a rather tempting looking 'Bubba Gump' restaurant -an american restaurant inspired by the shrimp boat success in the film Forrest Gump- making a mental note of a quick visit on our way back to the UK...

As I'm sure you may have experienced when stepping off a plane, you begin to evaluate your surroundings- eyes wide open, senses at the ready in the pursuit to form a picture of your location. Sense of smell is my most prominent receptor as I enter unfamiliar territory; Mexico being a combination of dusty, exotic surroundings combined with quite an appealing aroma of tobacco.

I was particularly impressed by was the effective road network and ease of driving- after overcoming the initial uncertainty of driving on the 'wrong' side of the road of course. The roads are simple and well structured, with regular 'retourno' sights to correct a missed turning or change of plan- a much quicker solution than missing a turnoff on the M25!

Cancun is based in Yucatan peninsula, the tip of the South-East region of Mexico. One aspect which shocked me was the lack of colour in the landscape, appearing rather barren in certain places- far from the colourful Frieda Kahlo interpretations which Spring to mind.

The geographic explanation for this landscape is the lack of rivers/ lakes in Yucan; replaced instead by beautifully mysterious centotes (natural sinkholes) unique to this part of the world, believed to be the entrance to the 'Mayan Underworld'.

The food is absolutely delicious to say the least although it can be very easy to be carried away by the copius amounts of cheese melted onto everything. My favourites included fresh guacamole, chipotle sauce, enchiladas, tortilla soup and quesadillas. A little tip? Everything tastes that little bit yummier with an extra squeeze of lime.

Talking of lime, margaritas are a popular drink of choice in Mexico, with countless varieties of tequila filling the shelves at all the local shops. At first, I felt a little guilty of my much increased salt intake through margaritas alone, until realising it was clearly a logical option as we need more salt in the heat of the sunshine...;)

Mexico is a fantastic, friendly destination and I would recommend a visit to anyone. One experience which I would like to do one day would be to hire a car and drive around (the non dodgy parts of) Mexico from one place to place. Staying in smaller hotels and visiting everything!

p.s I'm pleased to say that I made it to Bubba Gump, where I managed to squeeze in a final margarita of the trip!

To visit my blog post on Mayan history please click here.

Alice Luker
www.aliceluker.co.uk

'Gallery': Poem by Alice Luker

Immortalised from time now passed
Both life and death within it's grasp
Regardless of fiction or mythical story
It's frozen in time, a moment of glory.

Ample halls echo every sound and breath
Even silent noise of thought it met
We face our demons of mortal life
Wandering and wondering, facing personal strife.

For art is more than the touch of a brush
A room fulfils more in the moment of hush
Even silence of war can linger with us
It creates, it distorts, it transforms and adjusts.

Yet there may be light, a flicker of hope
No one on earth can fathom life's scope
Toying with reality; as we see things to be,
Yet does this mirage allow us to be free?

Alice Luker, 2013

Valentino: Master of Couture at Somerset House

My latest exhibition trip was to Valentino: Master of Couture. With a designer and subject matter of such prestige and talent, I had high expectations of the show, especially to be gracing the rooms of Somerset House- the hub of London Fashion Week.

Amidst the fumes of fabulously dressed older women fragranced by Chanel No. 5, I was reminded of my time spent in Milano, the birthplace of Valentino. There is an unquestionable air of Italian craftsmanship in all of his pieces; whether it may be a zebra print 60s creation or an elegant little black dress, Italian refinement -like no other- is a distinct quality affiliating every one of his pieces.

In addition to number of letters, a video of Valentino and a fascinating insight to the production of his creations, the 'catwalk' was undoubtedly the key component of this exhibition. Over 100 of his pieces lined the walls of the rather long and narrow space. It was displayed in a very literal manner, with a small booklet offered with the numbers of the pieces and physical description as you weave your way around the crowds.

I do however feel that based of the title of the show 'Master of Couture' it would have been even more insightful to have more details of the 'catwalk' section in the booklet- perhaps a little more on the wearer of the dress, a quote or two or an image on the mannequin. I really do appreciate something to take home and treasure for many years to come.

This show would be of interest to a diverse spectrum; unifying to witness one of the most successful and accomplished couturiers in existence.

Whether it may be inspiration or aspiration, the fashion industry is one which continues to seduce, assembled by a provenance of desirable opposites- both realistic and unrealistic, attainable and unattainable- proving that dreams and visions will enchant our creativity and imagination for many years to come.

www.aliceluker.co.uk

Is all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream? -Edgar Allen Poe

Fyador Golan: The Next McQueen?

I was first introduced to the spectacular work of Fyador Golan at  London Fashion Week 2012; the design duo's conceptual yet visually stimulating designs proving to be one of my personal favourites from the season. As these designers reaching the tipping point of their career, they certainly offer a lot of promise for artistic greatness yet to come.

One particular quality which I feel that true conceptual artists display with their collections is the use of narrative- a real theme and story collectively showcasing a unique viewpoint each season. Each season acts as a new chapter-or in the case of McQueen (and I predict for Fyador Golan) - a new book entirely. 

From what we have seen so far, Fyador Golan has already offered us a true vision of a conceptual artist, proving that although fashion is a business, the perspective can still be visually stimulating and above all things, exceptionally inspiring. 

I feel that since the death of (in my opinion) our greatest conceptual artist/ designer of our time, we have a large fashion shaped hole still waiting to be filled. A designer offering equal levels of passion and talent, proving that they can create beauty and art in almost anything through the medium of design.

Perhaps this is who we are looking for, a designer glowing with passion and talent; so evocatively that success inevitably follows their every footstep. The V&A have showcased an immense spectrum of design talent over the past few years: from Craig Lawrence, Stephanie Rolland and Kenzo, each collection I have personally seen seems underlined with passion.

How do they do it? I personally feel that any creative- be it designer, stylist or in my case photographer; one must immerse themselves in culture, art and -secondly- in fashion. As stated on Fyador Golan's website 'behind the brand is a muse- gentle yet bold, sophisticated and explorer'. It seems that many successful designers (including McQueen) seem to abide by their ideals of an all important 'Muse'. One both determined yet ambiguous, constantly striving to be reborn season after season. 

www.aliceluker.co.uk

Dreams: Metaphor for the Making of Art?

With no surprise, my entire train journey from Ascot (my home town) to London tends to be very much phone related- either tweeting, emailing or texting...I usually end up depleting over a quarter of my Iphone battery in this time alone with many hours ahead to fuel.

With 10 minutes to spare before reaching Waterloo, I read a tweet from the National Gallery regarding a lunchtime talk focusing on dreams and visions in art. This talk acted as an introduction and taster of what is to come when a new exhibition opens this week in association with 'Seduced by Art'. For more information on this exhibition please click here.

 

Not only do I love art and painting on both a personal and professional level; the subject matter of this talk strongly related to the very reason why I began this blog. Art and photography attain the power to be as ambiguous yet as symbolically rich as desired- linking into this fantasy, dreamlike realm which can be so apparent in visual imagery- especially fashion.

In addition to confirming and expanding the knowledge I already have in this subject; I also learnt about Baroque art and the divine powers associated with the dream state which was fascinating. Before we reached the era of scientific evidence supporting dream studies (Sigmund Freud, REM sleep etc), dreams were looked upon as privileged, glorified messages; most often relating to messages from God.

Although this was all very interesting art history, what really inspired me and appeared so relevant to my position as a fashion photographer is the concept of dreams themselves. Dreams attempt to explain the surreal, yet at the same time are designed to be interpreted in a subjective manner; similar to the dream itself. They also leave us with the big question, what really is reality?

Contemporary fashion photography could arguably be more about hyper real fantasy than dreams; determined through both the content within the frame and the ever increasing techniques of post production. I personally believe that one of the key attributes and foundation of conveying a sense of a dream, vision or fantasy relates to the 'space of otherness' - something which can never fully be in reality, often appearing to be a fully conceptual construction.

On this note, I will leave you with a beautiful image by Tim Walker; unquestionably inspired by his personal depictions of the dream realm, inspired by childlike fantasy and unconventional conceptual visions. Having visited an exhibition at Somerset house focusing on Tim Walker's work, this quote seemed particularly fitting:

'The editorial spreads of a modern fashion magazine allow the photographer to construct fictive worlds, which unfold, page after page, like series of stills from unrealised films'.

The Allure of Ophelia

From my first meeting with Ophelia in 2009 at the Tate Britain, I was inspired by her fragile, innocent beauty. There are so many reasons why my eyes are generally drawn to painting more so than photography, especially lifelike realist works of the Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite era.

The industry is saturated by thousands of fashion images; a medium so much more accessible than it ever had been in the past. I feel there is something special inside a painting which is tends to be harder to achieve in photography without looking too constrained and false.

In this industry there is also such pressure to produce images quickly that the value of imagery can be lost- I feel that my positive relationship with painting allows me appreciate the importance of photography; that every conceptual image should be a powerful refection on my vision of the world. 

There are so many ways to deconstruct a painting; being a constructed concoction of truth, mystery and fantasy. Not quite as real as a photograph yet often with strong refections of reality. I feel that fashion photography contains a similar element of this, most specifically highlighted by the fundamentals of retouching and post production.

A new exhibition is to open at the Tate Britain called 'Pre Raphaelites, Victorian Avant Garde'. I am very much looking forward to this show and will be sure to write a follow up blog post after my visit! 

I believe that one must learn to deconstruct imagery/art in order to learn to construct. The photographs below are part of the editorial series shot at the V&A museum in 2009- although I only had two days to plan this shoot, at the time I was completing my final year project inspired by Renaissance Art. This has conditioned me to always keep my eyes open for inspiration, even if it may not be relevant to that exact moment in time- the chances are that it will be useful in the future.

 © Alice Luker

'Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful' - William Morris.