photojournalism

photo-essay

landscape

on stage

portrait

Acknowledgments

Biography

Text Review

About Fog's Magic

Resume

Acknowledgments

I will be always in debt with all my family in special with my grandmother Concepcion López, my mother, Ma. Antonieta López, my sister Yolanda Castro, my cousin Juan C. Lira, my nephew Aaron Pérez, all my friends that in one way or other helped me in my most important decisions, as well to keep my dreams at sight, also to all the people who contributed to my formation as an artist as well as a human being in México and in the USA.

Thanks to all the community at San Andrés Chicahuaxtla, Oaxaca, México, who shared with me the warm food and tortilla, and stories in the cold nights in the sierra, specially the Sandoval Family, whom I will be grateful for the support that they gave me, that help me to finish the photoessay "The Fog's Magic".

I want to thank my wife Dr. Sara M. Asmussen for all the love, support and help in the difficult moments affronted, without her help, nothing could be possible.

I also want to thank Ignacio Ciocchini who helped me at the scanning of my images, and my friends in the digital lab at ICP (International Center of Photography), h. eugene foster, Claudia Sohrens, and my web design teacher Henry Chung, for the patience they had sharing their knowledge with me.

Marco A. Castro, New York City 2002.

Biography

I was born and raised in México City, where the mixture of cultures gave birth to the nation that we know as México. My grandmother was the last in my family who spoke fluent Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Due to the racism in those days, she never taught her daughters the language, and therefore, we, as a family, lost our personal heritage. I have been involved, however, by accident, with the indigenous world, even tough I do not believe that happen by coincidence.

I have a background as a graphic designer, a BA in Graphic Communication Design from the National School of Visual Arts, National Autonomous University of Mexico (ENAP-UNAM). After that I met a photographer that changed my life for ever, Ignacio "Nacho" López, at the University Center of Cinematographic Studies (CUEC-UNAM). I can still see how strongly I am influenced by him when I develop my prints in the darkroom. I have had the opportunity to share marvelous moments with photographers like Dolores Alvarez-Bravo, Hector García, Lázaro Blanco, and Walter Reuter who introduced me to the etnia Triqui in Oaxaca, Mexico. I traveled and worked as Reuter's assistant for several years.

I moved to New York City in 1993, a dream of mine for years. Here I have had the opportunity to collaborate with newspapers, magazines, and several news organizations, as well as literary publications such as the 1996 Spring issue of the Poetry Society of America. I also have been working as a PR photographer for the Permanent Mexican Mission to the United Nations, and the Mexican Consulate.

Text Review

For Marco A. Castro, the art of photography is a Jungian process- a melding of the collective conscious of years of culture. The Mexican born photographer believes imagery not only reflects the human spirit in a manner unparalleled to others forms of expression, but reaches deep into the soul and conjures up emotions universal to people from all walks of life.

"It's like being in another century where the darkroom becomes the laboratory of the soul. I want to work with the primordial feelings of the human being", he said, describing his passionate relationship with the camera and the darkroom.

Castro's love affair with photography began in the early 80's when he obtain a certificate in photography at the University Center of Cinematography Studies, at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City. Having already received a bachelor's degree in graphic communication design at National School of Visual Arts-UNAM, achieved another certificate in 1987 from the Mexican Council of Photography, also in Mexico City.

His credits as a photographer are impressive, including more than 25 exhibits in Mexico and New York City. His work also graces the covers of several books and appears in many arts and literary publications, most recently in the Spring issue of Poetry Society of America 1996. Castro has worked commercially in advertising and public relations for companies such as the Mexican National Ballet, and he even worked for the President's Office of Mexico as photojournalist from 1992 to '93, shortly before moving to New York.

Currently, his latest project is the documentation of the story of immigrants and their assimilation and acceptance into American society.

© Vanessa L. Payne

About Fog's Magic

Mr. Castro, through his photographic sensibility, uncovers aspects of indigenous communities that wouldn't be perceived otherwise.

The photoessay the "Fog's Magic" gives us a selection of hundreds of negatives, shot during four years of intensive studies in San Andrés Chicahuaxtla a Triqui Indian Community in the state of Oaxáca, México. As a lover of indigenous beauty and with aesthetic perception, he faithfully describes the mist's eyes, the color of the earth grassing the huipiles of dark bodies and the miraculous shape of existence, through the simplicity of an origin that opposes death and struggles for it's own survival.

Loyal to his teachers Nacho López and Walter Reuter, Mr. Castro successfully renders through feminine expression, women with their different intentions, who defines the intrinsic character of the vital force of their community and are looked upon as the seed of their culture's reproduction and creativity.

Why does he portray the indigenous woman and not the indigenous itself? The answer lies in the sensorial experience provoked by "Fog's Magic".

©Lorena Cuerno

I have over 20 years experience in various areas within the field of photography, first in Mexico then in the U.S. I am a permanent resident of the U.S. and am fluent in Spanish and English. I am currently looking for employment in the area of photojournalism. For the last nine years I have worked as a freelance photographer. Bellow is a summary of my abilities and work experiences.

Photojournalism/Press corps

Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations: Photographer. New York, 1995-present.

Reuters News Pictures: Photo of the second plane crashing into World Trade Center.

President's Office, Public Affairs Department, Los Pinos: Photographer, member of the Mexican President Carlos Salinas' personal press corps, Mexico City. Covered events around the world. 1992-1993.

Mexico National Ballet: Official Photographer. Mexico City, 1988-1989.

Magazines/Newspapers

Reforma Newspaper: Portrait of Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of United Nations Development Programmme. Published in Mexico City, 2002.

The Sun Magazine: Double spread cover for the November 2001, special 9/11 issue. Published at Chapel Hill, NC.

Good Machine Productions: Still photographer for the film "Love God". New York, 1996.

Poetry Society of America: Photographer. New York, 1995-1996.

West Side Story: Photographer. Monthly Humanist newspaper. New York, 1993-1996.

HellÕs Kitchen News: Photographer and writer. Humanist newspaper of the West 30's and 40's, New York, 1993-1996.

Aguila o Sol: Photographer. Mexican newspaper aimed to the Mexican Community. New York, 1993.

Obras: Photographer and collaborator. Architecture magazine, Grupo Editorial Expansión. Mexico City 1991-1992.

Siglo XXI: Photographer. Mexican newspaper. Mexico City, 1990.

Terra Nova Publishers: General Manager. Mexico City, 1988.

Photo covers of the following books. Mexico City 1987: La Civilizaci—n Azteca, Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva Espa–a, La Escuela Nacional de Maestros, Lectura para Mujeres.

Special Events

Guanajuato Trade Office: Covered the Visit of Mexican President Vicente Fox in 2000.

Consulate General of Mexico: Covered a variety of functions for both PR and news purposes. New York, 1993-1998.

Mexican Government Tourism Office: Photographer. New York, 1994-1996.

Gallery Montserrat: Photographer. SoHo, New York, 1994.

Hospital Audiences Incorporation: Photographer. New York, 1994.

Gillette of Mexico: Photographer for in house publications. Mexico City, 1989-1991.

Portraits/Head Shots

Official Executive Portrait of the Mexican General Consul Jorge Pinto, New York, 1998.

Advertising

Mexicana Airlines: Photographer for printed material and special events. New York, 1995-1996.

Integral Development for the Family: Still photographer for the publicity campaign, "Mexico Sonr’e al Futuro". Mexico City, 1991.

Large Format Commercial Studio Photographer. Mexico City, 1986-1991: Roche Bobšis, Tubos y Barras Huecas, Ciba-Geigy, Tupperware, Jafra Cosmetics.

Photographer's Assistant

Walter Reuter: Collaborator and assistant in photography. Mexico City, 1985-1992.

EDUCATION

1999 International Center of Photography. Web Design Spring Workshop, New York.

1998 School of Visual Arts. Witness to Our Times. Spring Workshop on Photojournalism. New York. 1987

Mexican Council of Photography. Second Latin American Colloquium on Photography. Certificate in Zone System. Mexico City. 1985

University Center of Cinematography Studies, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Certificate in Photography. Mexico City. 1980

B.A. in Graphic Communication Design. National School of Visual Arts (ENAP- UNAM). Mexico City.

SKILLS

Photographic Formats: 35 mm, Medium and Large Formats.

Lighting: Natural, Strobe, Tungsten, etc.

Computer: Adobe/Photoshop 5.5, Adobe/Illustrator 7, Macromedia/DreamWeaver 3.0, Flatbed scanning, Nikon Coolscan. Mac platform.

Black/White Lab: Develop film in different formats as well as high quality printing, toning, and non traditional, non silver process by contact (Gum Bichromate).

Languages: Spanish, English.

Memberships: American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). Creative Eye/Mira.

1997

"Beyond the Borders" American Indian Community House Gallery & Museum, July-September, New York, NY.

1996

"Virtual Gallery" Mexican Artists living in New York http://www.consulmexny.org/icm/mac.htm

"Francotirador", Hammock World Gallery, May-June, New York, NY.

1995

1994

"mass exposure", Art Initiatives, Salon'94 December, TriBeCa, New York, NY.

1993

"wall to wall", Art Initiatives, Salon'93 December, TriBeCa, New York, NY.

1991

Casa de la Cultura Colonia del Valle, April-May, México City.

1989-90

Museo Mural Diego Rivera, INBA-SEP Alameda Central, November-January, México City.

1989

Casa de la Cultura San Angel, August, México City.

1986

"Los Niños", Sponsored by Defense Child International(DCI) México Chapter, April, Xalapa, Sate of Veracruz, México.

1985

Vestibulo Museo de Antropologia e Historia, November, México City.

1984

Casa de la Cultura José Antonio Alzate, September, Ozumba, State of México.

1983

Galeria Jose Ma. Velasco, INBA-SEP, July, México City.

1981

Vestibulo Radio-Educacion, August, México City.

Galeria Arte en el Tiempo, July, San Angel, Mexico City.

Sala de Exposiciones de la Escuela Nacional Preparatoria No. 8, UNAM, June, México City.

Jardin del Arte, Sullivan & Parque San Jacinto, México City.

1980

Galeria del Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Universitarios (SUNTU), May, México City.

1997-99

Zocalo, Restaurant,174 e. 82nd. Street @ 3rd. Ave. New York, NY

Bancomext, 375 Park Ave. Suite 1905, July- February, New York, NY

1996

Nafinsa Securities, Inc. 21 East 63rd. St, Februry-June, New York, NY

Mexican Government Tourism Office, 405 Park Ave., Suite 1401, April-July, New York, NY

Hotel Intercontinental, Sponsored by the General Consulate of Mexico, September, Miami, Florida

Galeria II, Division De Estudios de Posgrado, Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (ENAP-UNAM), Abril-Mayo, Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México

1992

Espacio Cultural Media Luna, Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Febrero, Cuicuilco, México, DF

Caravan of Dreams, 6th St @ 1st. Ave. May-September, New York, NY