"Self-portrait At The El Cerrito Cabin", 2020
(November 8th, 2020)
Terlingua, Texas, U.S.A.
(November 8th, 2020)
Terlingua, Texas, U.S.A.
After the first encounter last year, I returned there again. I had to because it was love at first sight. The desert is not a landscape that shouts. It whispers, inviting you to look closer. I think I found my place on Earth. The Chihuahuan desert, the largest desert in North America and the third most diverse in the world, is where I went for a 10-day road trip in November. It was a peak season, but I was able to find my solitude, rebuild harmony, and feed my soul. Aride and alive, the fascinating paradox about the Chihuahuan could be the metaphor of my poor existence in this world.
The next place after the Ghost Town Ruin and the Ocotillo Moons barn was the off-grid cabin "El Cerrito" where I stayed for the last couple of days located on 50 private acres offering miles of incredible views and a real feel of the desert.
It was a solar rustic and modern tiny cabin that had everything, and more even if it didn't have electricity. The only inconvenience was that in order to use the smallest thing inside or outside the hosts wrote a long manual that made me simply irritated. There were even instructions on how to use the RV toilet with specific rules for # 1 and # 2! The main message a smart person could read between the lines was: yes, the cabin has it, but don't use it. It felt as though someobody was sharing their place with guests, but in fact, they didn't want them to touch anything. The size of the sponge to wash dishes which was a third of the regular size (I've never seen in my life so tiny!) said it all. When I realized all that, I looked at a bottle of olive oil I found in the kitchen, and wondered why the hosts didn't mention how many drops of it are allowed daily per person... Since I'm truly good at reading between the lines, I didn't want to disappoint anybody. I refused to use most of the amenities, including water for taking a shower, and spent most of my time outside the cabin in nature. Ah, the landscape and the desert vegetation were breathtaking!
I took this self-portrait inside the cabin before going out to enjoy my time with camera and myself. I really loved time spent that afternoon. Some of the pictures I shot in the wild garden turned out very good.
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About the project:
About the project:
I wish to look at myself in all reflected streets and places I will be passing by. These self-portraits are inspired by Vivian Maier's self-portraiture: http://www.vivianmaier.com
