Federico Gama
Federico Gama´s photographs reveal more than what is evident on first sight: parting from the documentary tradition, his images transcend it through a subtle turn of the gaze. Instead of letting the camera identify and label them as exotic or picturesque “others” (as in the positivist anthropological tradition of photography), Gama´s portrayed subjects seem to come forth to interrogate the viewer. Do you really know who I am? By choosing to present themselves through an odd, ambiguous, and, above all, visually provocativemixture of mazahua + cholo + skato + punk elements, these young immigrant laborers in Mexico City strive to escape social discrimination. Aggressive designers of their public masks, these deprived youngsters use fashion to break away from the stereotyped figure of a passive Indian sprung from an idyllic past. Rather than stressing to identify them through visual means, Gama´sphotos help them to claim their right to social visibility: shown as active participants of Mexican public life, the mazahuacholoskatopunks also gain in social dignity. At least, they do so in the image.
