Sierra Zapoteca by Jorge Lépez Vela

The images above are iPad screen grabs.

"Sierra Zapoteca, the most recent book of the Mexican photographer Jorge Lépez Vela, is the result of years of work, it includes 60 photographs in black and white taken in over 15 communities in the Sierra Norte de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico. All photographs are accompanied by ambient sound, music and dialogues in Zapoteco to help us enter more deeply into the world of the Zapotecos."  Jorge Lepez Vela

"In this book we are taken on a journey marked by the infinite landscape of the mountains, whose clouds transport us to the fantastic world of the other. However, the substance of the book avoids both folkloric clichés and anthropological condescension, and places us amongst the flesh-and-bone individuals. In these photographs there is room for reflection in the large gaps that seem to structure the visual discourse. The subjects are revealed through their objects, their environment, body details and gestures. There is movement, there is music, laughter and noise of animals. In fact, feelings and emotions pass through the animals close ups, inevitable protagonists of the parties."  Rosa Casanova

Format: App compatible with iPad and iPhone.

Price: $2.99

Links: iTunes and Jorge Lépez Vela

Comment: All of the photographs in this app are accompanied by sound. With some of the photos it works really well and you get a better sense of the place or a better understanding of them, and some of the photos could probably live without it. It isn't the fastest and most responsive app, and as you flick through it you at times have to wait a brief moment for photos or sound to load. The upside is that it doesn't require a lot of storage on your device.

The work is strong, classic, b&w film photography and I have to give credit to the photographer to be brave enough to experiment with sound and other features that can only be done digitally.

RATING:

Content: 16/20

Design: 10/15

Value: 4/5

TOTAL: 30/40