performance disappears in the making. therefore if a performance artist wants to have a document for…lets say for funding purposes, or for artist talk purposes, or for promotional purposes, the photo is often the document of choice. for one thing the photo shows us in a language we understand what happened. for another thing the quantity of information held in a photo is…well, worth a thousand words.

however, often the photographer interferes unintentionally with the performance itself. a flash goes off disturbing the quality of calm the artist has been working towards creating, or the click, click of the camera shutter destroys the silence the artist needs, or even the body of the photographer comes into the sphere of the performance domain itself.

so who ya gonna call? antonio juarez.

from the attestations of the photographer himself, as well as from the glowing compliments thrown his way from the audience members who have worked with antonio, this is one sensitive and aware photographer.

« never uses a flash. »

« i didn’t even know he was there. »

but even more important perhaps, antonio juarez creates photos that are in and of themselves works of art. he is, above all else, a photographer who creates photographs of an arresting quality.

his presentation, given in spanish and translated by his very special and wonderful friend (to paraphrase his words) the performer katnira bello, was telling. he wore all black (a true ninja) and because of this need for translation, we were able to witness (to an extent) his working style. as he worked with katnira to give the presentation, he works with the performer to create the photo. he actually talks to the performer before the performance and tries to get an idea of what will happen, what the lighting conditions will be, what the needs the performer are, and even where he can stand so as not to disturb the performance.

i had the sense that this photographer performs in response to the performance. moving slow, unseen, unheard. a meticulous attention to the technical apparatus that is the camera. a sole unwavering attention to the body of the performer and the unfolding of the performance. the honed concentrated intuitive flash to anticipate in advance of the « moment » the moment.

an artist.