Poblado Park

A Journey Through Light, Gender, and Memory

Poblado Park weaves a narrative of visual dialogues, capturing the essence of individuals who found solace and community in a bustling nocturnal space in Medellin, Colombia, from 2009 to 2011. This photographic series endeavors not merely to document but to explore the rich tapestry of identities, experiences, and expressions encapsulated within each portrait.

Navigating through the realms of identity and belonging, this work reflects a personal pilgrimage. As a Latin-American subjected to the persistent sting of discrimination in the United States since the 1980s, I found myself propelled toward a journey of re-exploration and reconnection with my Colombian roots—a narrative obscured by my exposure to American media stereotypes and my own displaced histories.

In every photography series I undertake, I adhere to a foundational principle: capturing portraits of individuals within a singular, specific site. This methodological approach gives life to what I term a "visual ethnography." It not only paints a vivid picture of those who inhabit and frequent a given locale but also subtly underscores those who are conspicuously absent or have diminished access. In the context of Poblado Park, from a curation of 25 portraits distilled from a broader collection, the ethnic mosaic becomes evident. Only one man unmistakably bears African lineage, and just one woman presents distinctly indigenous features. This is striking, given Colombia's rich tapestry of indigenous communities and populations tracing back to African ancestry. Yet, the majority of the series unveils a potent ethnic amalgamation, intertwining European histories with the indigenous essence native to this land. Colombia's diverse human tableau, shaped significantly by vast Indigenous populations and descendants of African slaves, is vast and varied. However, the series inadvertently throws a spotlight on the underlying socio-cultural and ethnic dynamics at play, revealing who gets to occupy spaces like Poblado Park — and more poignantly, who doesn't. The absence speaks volumes.

The series unconsciously evolved to encompass a tender exploration of non-heterosexual identities, juxtaposing my adolescent memories of stark LGBTQ+ adversity in Colombia against a contemporary semblance of uneasy social tolerance. These portraits attempt to traverse the nuanced interplay between visual representation and perceived sexual orientation, provoking a pivotal inquiry: Can a portrait ever authentically unveil an individual’s sexual identity? This begets further introspection: Why should such revelation be important? And, if so, in what context? My quest unearthed entrenched layers of cultural and gender-based repression and personal concealment, leading to an eye-opening understanding of how deeply rooted stereotypes perpetually steer collective-heterosexual perspectives and actions, often to the detriment of LGBTQ+ communities. Central to these insights is recognizing the extensive sway of my own socially- and culturally-constructed biases as a heterosexual man—especially how they shape my cosmologies and interactions and the agency I afford to my LGBTQ+ kinspeople in both personal and public spheres. Engaging with these visual narratives has spotlighted my preconceptions, marking a blurred yet proactive step toward disentangling them from my psyche. Perhaps it's an initial move towards recalibrating my personal narrative and actions in favor of a more inclusive approach towards our LGBTQ+ communities.

Inspired by a quest for authenticity and veracity, Poblado Park commits to immortalizing its subjects as they appeared and as they aspired to be seen—unembellished, unaltered, and unequivocally themselves. In eschewing studio lighting of any sort, make-up, or auxiliary assistance, and minimizing direction, the sessions blossomed into sparse yet intimate encounters. The individual, myself, a camera, and a tripod, enveloped in 10 to 15-minute vignettes of vulnerability and candidness, under the unassuming glow of available street light.

This series, while initially sparked as a technical exercise influenced by the poignant impact of a photograph by Edward S. Curtis of an Indigenous person native to this continent observed in a Sedona, AZ gallery, evolved into a deeply personal and explorative project. It stands as a testament to the unspoken narratives, concealed identities, and the perpetually complex exploration of self and otherness amidst the ephemeral glow of Poblado Park’s nocturnal embrace.

PRINT INFO
Series Title: Poblado Park
Date: 2009 to 2011
Medium: Photography
Media: Archival Pigment Print
(Dye sublimation aluminum print available upon request)

SIZES AND EDITIONS
Each artwork in the Poblado Park series is offered in two sizes, with rare editions for each.

Size One - Print Only
Image Size: 14 x 21 in - 35.5 x 53.3 cm
Sheet Size: 17 x 22 in - 43.2 x 55.8 cm
Edition of 5

Size Two - Print Only 
Image Size: 26.5 x 40 in x  67.3 x 101.6 cm
Sheet Size: 31 x 44 in - 78.7 x 111.7 cm
Edition of 3 + 1 Artist's Proof
(Artist's Proof is not available for sale)

Explore the tabs under each artwork for details on FREE SHIPPING, EDITIONS, our RETURN POLICY, and precise FRAMING measurements.  
CONTACT 
For inquiries about the Poblado Park series, you can reach me at:
Email: marco@ma9.co
Tel: +1 347-772-9370 (New York City)