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Historicising Martín Chambi`s Photographs Of Macchu Picchu
How a historicised understanding of Martín Chambi’s photographs of Machu Picchu provide insights into the political, social and experiential nature of ruins.
Date : 11/12/2021
How a historicised understanding of Mart n Chambi s photographs of Machu Picchu provide insights into the political, social and experiential nature of ruins.
In order to historicise something, one must understand how certain events have been represented throughout history. As the title suggests, my aim with this piece of writing shall be to reflect upon the impact of Martin Chambi, a Peruvian photographer. I want to analyse how his work provided insights into the nature of ruins for politics and society. By reading Andean Self Fashioning by James Scorer, a historicised reading of Chambi s ruins highlights a political and social importance. His images were political in terms of indigenismo, and social in the sense that ruins provided a space for people, regardless of their race to socialise and unite. In this essay I will focus on Chambi s landscape photography of Machu Picchu and how his work popularised ruins and lead to the mass tourism of Peru that we see today. Even to this day, no other Hispanic photographer has received such constant and enduring attention (Garay, 2007). One thing that differentiated Chambi from other photographers during his time was that he made a point of photographing all aspects of Peruvian culture. This included upper classes, lower classes, mestizos and indigenous. He photographed black people, white people and everyone in between. It has even been documented that Chambi made a point of photographing different classes together in the same frame (Harries, 1986). This requirement allowed native and indigenous communities to have exposure and be shown off in a way that was never done before. He truly was the epitome of versatile. I find this versatility very inspiring as it is a rare quality to possess.As part of my research, I watched the BBC documentary titled Mart n Chambi and the Heirs of the Incas . Chambi is described as uniquely placed with freedom of movement on both sides of the social divide . Chambi could move across the social divide because he was indigenous. As a Quechua-speaking native, he could easily photograph and be photographed with other natives. He was popular with Quechua-speaking people and this set him apart from the likes of Bingham. Scorer (2014), importantly mentions that the ruins represented an ongoing, persisting indigenous tradition , and so Chambi s ruin photography was a potent symbol for regional political identity. Scorer also mentions that Chambi fed off how he was visibly and visually connected to the landscape and the people of the Andean highlands. This connection is what gave his work greater authenticity and perhaps made him one of the most popular Peruvian photographers (Scorer, 2014).For Chambi, Indigenismo was an important political rhetoric at the time. Indigenismo was described as the collective of intellectuals and artists, who felt that the true spirit of Peru lay in the hands of the indigenous population , (Harries, 1986). As Chambi rose to prominence as a photographer, he did so also as an Indigenista. The majority of these Indigenistas were actually white middle classes with a European background. What could a group of well-off middle classes possibly know about life in the Andes as an indigenous person? Truth is, probably not a lot and this is where Chambi stepped in and filled a void. As a Quechua-speaking Indian, he had an advantage over other indigenistas. By speaking their language, he befriended, earn trust and spread the message of Indigenismo rapidly. The mayor of cusco at the time of the BBC documentary production, Daniel Estrada commended the indigenista movement for always showing the existence and real presence of the indian . Thanks to Chambi s photographic evidence of the ruins of Machu Picchu, he created a heightened interest in the history of the Incas. So much so that music and plays began to be written and composed based off of Inca legends and themes. Those involved consisted of a mix of indigenistas, Indians and mestizos. A mixture of people came from all walks of life to get involved in these productions. This vastness highlights further how Chambi s work bought people together though a shared interest in the Incas. A prime example of the social nature of ruins comes from the photographs commissioned by the wealthy socialite, Ricarda Luna. Her photographs of a picnic at the ruins are a wonderful reminder that ruins like Macchu Picchu create a social space for people to gather. In a way, ruins can create a sense of identity among groups of people. They can make people feel pride and a sense of achievement. It was a place where the indigenous community could feel closer to their ancestors. In the BBC documentary, Chambi s life work is described by historian Luis Renique as a great romantic symbol of the lost culture, (Harries, 1986). Ruins like Macchu Picchu were places of pilgrimage. Within his lifetime, Chambi made countless visits to Incan ruins and festivals in the Peruvian Andes. It was through his work that the ancient ruins of Macchu Picchu became known to the outside world. Daltazar Jara Eguilete appears later on in the documentary saying very simply that Chambi was an ambassador for Peru. He promoted Indian culture and elevated it higher than it had ever gone. Zoila S. Mendoza also indicates that Chambi encouraged tourism to archaeological sites as a way to promote Cuzco. In an interview in 1958, Chambi made his views on tourism clear: I only had one goal: to tell the world about the natural beauty of my country and the beautiful image of the ruins that speak of our historic past (Scorer, 2014). With regards to the essay title, experiential and social nature can go together and be classed as one. For example, the experience you have in a place, like Macchu Picchu, can be heightened or enjoyed more by actually socialising within it. With an account from my own trip to Incan ruins in Cusco, there were always indigenous people worshipping the sun at various incan ruins. However they always did this In groups highlighting the social nature, as well as the spiritual experience that being around ruins can have.In Scorer s article, he analyses Martin Chambi s photographs at Machu Picchu. He discusses the influence of some of Chambi s more famous photographs of this site, specifically those that were carefully framed with dramatic use of light and shadow. The Peruvian photographer has been highly influential in an aesthetic depiction of ruins. Scorer also notes that Chambi provides a more historicised and political vision of the material past one populated by human presence, social interaction and enjoyment . The indigenismo movement used the region s ruins to favour the former Inca capital of Cusco over the Hispanic colonial city of Lima. To answer the title presented to me, I also read Garay s article, Martin Chambi: A self portrait. The article deals with Chambi`s personal albums and the meaning of his work. Garay discusses implied artistry and what Chambi hoped to communicate to others in the future. This idea that his work has endured the test of time shows how his work as a photographer has become historicised. Garay calls Chambi a a lucid photographer . This term can be used for photographers open to experimenting, however, still very clear about their own ideas and beliefs. In Garay s article, Chambi is described as someone absolutely sure of the artistic value of his pictures . Evidence of Chambi understanding the value of his work can be found in the words of Chambi s daughter. In a BBC documentary, his daughter reminisces of a time when her father used to make her, and her siblings learn different processes of photography development. He told them that he wanted his children to elevate his work and legacy. The vision he had for his work highlights the idea that he knew how valuable and special the work he was doing. From my reading, I have discovered that Chambi was a clear minded, grounded and humble individual. He saw himself as a proud and civilized native (Garay, 2007). He had no trouble identifying as a mestizo who was able to rise to the highest positions in Cuzco society thanks to his photographic art. Other indigenous photographers of the time may have had trouble identifying as mestizo or native. They may have felt ashamed. For Chambi however, he happily identified as a member of a marginalised group in Peruvian society. In a way he forged a new type of photography, something that no one else was doing at the time. When interviewed by the BBC, historian Luis Renique states that Chambi s work allowed Peruvians to stop looking towards the Pacific (stop trying to be European). Renique s words are of particular importance since he is essentially telling us that Chambi made Peruvians feel proud to be Peruvian again. Like Garay mentions, the greatest works of art are complex and always allow for new interpretations. I believe that Chambi s work certainly does that. His photography evokes a whole plethora of emotions depending on the viewer. By researching the life and work of Chambi, I have learnt about the indigenista movement, the different minorities in Peru (mestizos, indigenous, cholos, neo-indianistas etc) and I have also gained an appreciation for the importance of the actual ruins themselves. They aren t just a mass of large old stones, they are in fact sacred, magical places for some groups of people and they should be protected and looked after in order to preserve them for future generations. Bibliography:Garay, A. and Latorre, J. (2007). Mart n Chambi: A self-portrait . History of Photography, [online] 31(2), pp.201-209. Available at: https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.bbk.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1080/03087298.2007.10443518?needAccess=true [Accessed 16 Mar. 2019]. Martin Chambi and the Heirs of the Incas. (1986). [video] Directed by A. Harries and P. Yule. Cusco, Peru: BBC. Scorer, J. (2014). Andean Self-Fashioning: Mart n Chambi, Photography and the Ruins at Machu Picchu. History of Photography, [online] 38(4), pp.379-397. Available at: https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.bbk.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1080/03087298.2014.942490?needAccess=true [Accessed 16 Mar. 2019].
In order to historicise something, one must understand how certain events have been represented throughout history. As the title suggests, my aim with this piece of writing shall be to reflect upon the impact of Martin Chambi, a Peruvian photographer. I want to analyse how his work provided insights into the nature of ruins for politics and society. By reading Andean Self Fashioning by James Scorer, a historicised reading of Chambi s ruins highlights a political and social importance. His images were political in terms of indigenismo, and social in the sense that ruins provided a space for people, regardless of their race to socialise and unite. In this essay I will focus on Chambi s landscape photography of Machu Picchu and how his work popularised ruins and lead to the mass tourism of Peru that we see today. Even to this day, no other Hispanic photographer has received such constant and enduring attention (Garay, 2007). One thing that differentiated Chambi from other photographers during his time was that he made a point of photographing all aspects of Peruvian culture. This included upper classes, lower classes, mestizos and indigenous. He photographed black people, white people and everyone in between. It has even been documented that Chambi made a point of photographing different classes together in the same frame (Harries, 1986). This requirement allowed native and indigenous communities to have exposure and be shown off in a way that was never done before. He truly was the epitome of versatile. I find this versatility very inspiring as it is a rare quality to possess.As part of my research, I watched the BBC documentary titled Mart n Chambi and the Heirs of the Incas . Chambi is described as uniquely placed with freedom of movement on both sides of the social divide . Chambi could move across the social divide because he was indigenous. As a Quechua-speaking native, he could easily photograph and be photographed with other natives. He was popular with Quechua-speaking people and this set him apart from the likes of Bingham. Scorer (2014), importantly mentions that the ruins represented an ongoing, persisting indigenous tradition , and so Chambi s ruin photography was a potent symbol for regional political identity. Scorer also mentions that Chambi fed off how he was visibly and visually connected to the landscape and the people of the Andean highlands. This connection is what gave his work greater authenticity and perhaps made him one of the most popular Peruvian photographers (Scorer, 2014).For Chambi, Indigenismo was an important political rhetoric at the time. Indigenismo was described as the collective of intellectuals and artists, who felt that the true spirit of Peru lay in the hands of the indigenous population , (Harries, 1986). As Chambi rose to prominence as a photographer, he did so also as an Indigenista. The majority of these Indigenistas were actually white middle classes with a European background. What could a group of well-off middle classes possibly know about life in the Andes as an indigenous person? Truth is, probably not a lot and this is where Chambi stepped in and filled a void. As a Quechua-speaking Indian, he had an advantage over other indigenistas. By speaking their language, he befriended, earn trust and spread the message of Indigenismo rapidly. The mayor of cusco at the time of the BBC documentary production, Daniel Estrada commended the indigenista movement for always showing the existence and real presence of the indian . Thanks to Chambi s photographic evidence of the ruins of Machu Picchu, he created a heightened interest in the history of the Incas. So much so that music and plays began to be written and composed based off of Inca legends and themes. Those involved consisted of a mix of indigenistas, Indians and mestizos. A mixture of people came from all walks of life to get involved in these productions. This vastness highlights further how Chambi s work bought people together though a shared interest in the Incas. A prime example of the social nature of ruins comes from the photographs commissioned by the wealthy socialite, Ricarda Luna. Her photographs of a picnic at the ruins are a wonderful reminder that ruins like Macchu Picchu create a social space for people to gather. In a way, ruins can create a sense of identity among groups of people. They can make people feel pride and a sense of achievement. It was a place where the indigenous community could feel closer to their ancestors. In the BBC documentary, Chambi s life work is described by historian Luis Renique as a great romantic symbol of the lost culture, (Harries, 1986). Ruins like Macchu Picchu were places of pilgrimage. Within his lifetime, Chambi made countless visits to Incan ruins and festivals in the Peruvian Andes. It was through his work that the ancient ruins of Macchu Picchu became known to the outside world. Daltazar Jara Eguilete appears later on in the documentary saying very simply that Chambi was an ambassador for Peru. He promoted Indian culture and elevated it higher than it had ever gone. Zoila S. Mendoza also indicates that Chambi encouraged tourism to archaeological sites as a way to promote Cuzco. In an interview in 1958, Chambi made his views on tourism clear: I only had one goal: to tell the world about the natural beauty of my country and the beautiful image of the ruins that speak of our historic past (Scorer, 2014). With regards to the essay title, experiential and social nature can go together and be classed as one. For example, the experience you have in a place, like Macchu Picchu, can be heightened or enjoyed more by actually socialising within it. With an account from my own trip to Incan ruins in Cusco, there were always indigenous people worshipping the sun at various incan ruins. However they always did this In groups highlighting the social nature, as well as the spiritual experience that being around ruins can have.In Scorer s article, he analyses Martin Chambi s photographs at Machu Picchu. He discusses the influence of some of Chambi s more famous photographs of this site, specifically those that were carefully framed with dramatic use of light and shadow. The Peruvian photographer has been highly influential in an aesthetic depiction of ruins. Scorer also notes that Chambi provides a more historicised and political vision of the material past one populated by human presence, social interaction and enjoyment . The indigenismo movement used the region s ruins to favour the former Inca capital of Cusco over the Hispanic colonial city of Lima. To answer the title presented to me, I also read Garay s article, Martin Chambi: A self portrait. The article deals with Chambi`s personal albums and the meaning of his work. Garay discusses implied artistry and what Chambi hoped to communicate to others in the future. This idea that his work has endured the test of time shows how his work as a photographer has become historicised. Garay calls Chambi a a lucid photographer . This term can be used for photographers open to experimenting, however, still very clear about their own ideas and beliefs. In Garay s article, Chambi is described as someone absolutely sure of the artistic value of his pictures . Evidence of Chambi understanding the value of his work can be found in the words of Chambi s daughter. In a BBC documentary, his daughter reminisces of a time when her father used to make her, and her siblings learn different processes of photography development. He told them that he wanted his children to elevate his work and legacy. The vision he had for his work highlights the idea that he knew how valuable and special the work he was doing. From my reading, I have discovered that Chambi was a clear minded, grounded and humble individual. He saw himself as a proud and civilized native (Garay, 2007). He had no trouble identifying as a mestizo who was able to rise to the highest positions in Cuzco society thanks to his photographic art. Other indigenous photographers of the time may have had trouble identifying as mestizo or native. They may have felt ashamed. For Chambi however, he happily identified as a member of a marginalised group in Peruvian society. In a way he forged a new type of photography, something that no one else was doing at the time. When interviewed by the BBC, historian Luis Renique states that Chambi s work allowed Peruvians to stop looking towards the Pacific (stop trying to be European). Renique s words are of particular importance since he is essentially telling us that Chambi made Peruvians feel proud to be Peruvian again. Like Garay mentions, the greatest works of art are complex and always allow for new interpretations. I believe that Chambi s work certainly does that. His photography evokes a whole plethora of emotions depending on the viewer. By researching the life and work of Chambi, I have learnt about the indigenista movement, the different minorities in Peru (mestizos, indigenous, cholos, neo-indianistas etc) and I have also gained an appreciation for the importance of the actual ruins themselves. They aren t just a mass of large old stones, they are in fact sacred, magical places for some groups of people and they should be protected and looked after in order to preserve them for future generations. Bibliography:Garay, A. and Latorre, J. (2007). Mart n Chambi: A self-portrait . History of Photography, [online] 31(2), pp.201-209. Available at: https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.bbk.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1080/03087298.2007.10443518?needAccess=true [Accessed 16 Mar. 2019]. Martin Chambi and the Heirs of the Incas. (1986). [video] Directed by A. Harries and P. Yule. Cusco, Peru: BBC. Scorer, J. (2014). Andean Self-Fashioning: Mart n Chambi, Photography and the Ruins at Machu Picchu. History of Photography, [online] 38(4), pp.379-397. Available at: https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.bbk.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1080/03087298.2014.942490?needAccess=true [Accessed 16 Mar. 2019].
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