Photographer Stefan FALKE returned to Baja California on the US Mexican border to shoot more material for his ‘Artists Along the Border’ project. The photographs were taken in Tijuana, Tecate and Mexicali. During this time he was also asked to show his work at La Casa Del Tunel: Art Center in Tijuana and in addition to this he held a four day workshop for local photographers.
Stefan Falke comments on his ambitious FUND RAISING project: ‘I started to photograph artists in Tijuana in 2008 because I wanted to show that there is more to the border region than bad news. My first series of photographs inspired me to go further.
I decided to visit and portray artists along the entire 2000 miles long US-Mexican border because the media reports from the border regions are still almost entirely focusing on violent crime. I want to tell another story.
I am hoping that my LA FRONTERA project will help to put a spotlight on the vibrant cultural life along the border that most people in the US and other countries know very little about.
The exhibition was very well received and publicized in the press. As a result, I became connected to more artists and art institutions. The German embassy in Mexico City published an interview with me about the exhibition and my work at the border (in Spanish).
Now I am planning a 3 months trip to visit again Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali, Nogales, Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Matamoros and smaller towns along the border to meet artists in their homes and studios. I also want to explore San Diego, El Paso and Brownsville as well as other towns on the US side where many artists live and work.
I am hoping to go back to the border in early November after working on magazine assignments about the Presidential Elections in the US. The length of my trip along the border ultimately depends on how much money and time I will have. I am planning for 3 month because of the distances and my experience with the earlier visits. It often takes a lot of time to arrange meetings and coordinate travel and visits. I will also photograph landscape and the border fence in many locations.
My long-term goal is to produce a book about the project similar in scope to my 215-page photo book about a stilt walking school in Trinidad. The production of a final book is NOT part of this fundraising effort. This campaign is needed to cover the costs to produce the photographs along the border that will eventually become a book. But I will design a spezial edition with images from LA FRONTERA on blurb.com as a gift for my supporters
I already created a blog which will include photos and information about every artist who is part of the project. I will further improve the site when I return from the next trip. Please also visit and like the project's facebook page !!
Interviews and stories will be written by Claudia Steinberg, an internationally published journalist based in New York City. She has participated in previous trips and will join me at different locations during my travels. In addition I will ask poets, novelists and journalists from the various regions along the border to contribute texts about their experiences of life at La Frontera.
I financed the first trips myself, but now I need your help to continue this project. Even though I have been awarded a grant (8,000 Euro) from a German foundation (Stiftung Kulturwerk der VG BILD-KUNST) I still need more funds for the 3 month trip: 90 days car rental - up to 70 $ per day in Mexico / car insurance in mexico / gas - I expect to drive at least 5000 miles / up to 90 motel nights / add. equipment: Nikon D 800 for video interviews (what I really want: the more expensive Nikon D4) / microphone for video etc / add. digital storage / min. 2 return flights NY - border /communication / local assistants / ...)
Whatever you can contribute to this project will be very much appreciated. And if you just post this video on your facebook page or tell others about it … that would be fantastic.’
Remember all donations not only help support the photographer’s ambitious project but also aid in financing his documentation of creative living along one of the world’s most notorious borders.
Show your support on the FUNDING PAGE.
