THE
EROTIC SIDE OF FLAMENCO
Schommer Photo Gallery
I
would never have imagined that introducing myself into such a closed world as
that of Flamenco would be such a difficult task..., to the point of stressing
me. For many years back, I had been thinking of producing a work with the title
of ĞLa erótica del flamencoğ, (The erotic side of flamenco), which produced
in me a passion of a romantic type. The title was attractive and appealing to
the senses, yet, once the work was finished, I realized that the erotic part was
in fact love. The eroticism was converted into love of flamenco as I gathered
a more real and profound understanding of it, and I ended up giving this work
the title of Flamenco, which I think is enough in itself to sum up the
essence of such a personal world.
I
hope that the pictures that I present speak for themselves, or, at least, that
they convey much of that deep rhythm which escapes from the mouth in murmurs,
or through the fingers with magic sounds of wood... even through the feet.
When
a family admits you into their own personal circle.... you drink a few finos or
manzanillas and you talk about all sorts of things; it is then that the spark
that awakens the duende (magic) is lighted up and this is converted spontaneously
into a song or a dance. And the whole family participates... they rise, they step
forward and their feet start moving, their bodies turn swiftly, they sit down
again, and very soon it's another member of the group who follows. The singing
is done with joy or with pain, with an open heart, with passion and even with
violence. Because that's the way flamenco is, a moment of life which is suddenly
transformed into unique actions.
That
is the reason for which this book has to vibrate with the scenes of singing or
of dancing. It is a mixture of different moments, instants that are converted
into images and, at times, the cadence of movement caught in a few hundredths
of a second.
I
have had to organize it in a varied way, introducing at times large images of
"peaceful" moments. It would be beautiful to see that this unique form of life
continues, that the oasis that exists in the open spaces of the city is conserved,
and that this anarchy, this torn feeling with which we view flamenco from the
outside, continues to be a truly authentic one. I would like for this work that
has been made with a lot of love and effort, to be the true testimony of this
magic reality called flamenco.
ALBERTO
SCHOMMER
Translation
Pekka Odriozola
