Mexico’s Magnetic Mirror for Surrealism
Mexico has been a captivating mirror for surrealism, as evidenced by the words of essential figures in the movement like André Breton and Salvador Dalí. The country has birthed personal, collective, and spectral myths that continue to enthrall the world.
Visual arts, including paintings, photographs, and films, have been powerful allies in solidifying surrealism. Unlike other expressions, they subscribe to the ambiguity with eccentric and golden letters on the commitment letter of uncertainty.
This description aptly applies to the work of New York-based photographer Rodney Lewis Smith, better known as Rodney Smith (New York, 1947–2016). The first Latin American exhibition dedicated exclusively to this crucial figure in fashion photography and surrealism is now on display at the Franz Mayer Museum.
Surreal. Rodney Smith
The Franz Mayer Museum, in collaboration with diChroma photography agency and the Estate of Rodney Smith, has made this exhibition possible. Featuring 40 approved and captured images using Smith’s Leica M4 or Hasselblad 500, the exhibition showcases deeply aesthetic, mostly monochromatic images without faces, capriciously symmetrical compositions. These images depict faceless characters, sometimes unsettling, other times perfect mannequins, all with a profound instinct beyond mere humor.
New Perspectives on Smith’s Lens
To introduce the exhibition and provide insights into this first-ever Latin American showcase of Smith’s work, Giovana Jaspersen (Franz Mayer Museum Director), Leslie Smolan (Estate of Rodney Smith Executive Director), and Anne Morin (DiChroma Photography Director and Curator) came together.
According to Morin, Smith was “very tied to the fashion world,” though not entirely fairly. He worked for major American magazines and brands, developing his signature style but remaining confined to this territory. The curators aim to “invent or create a new reading of his work,” she explains.
Morin recounts the profound impact of visiting Smith’s home library, which sparked her determination to reshape perceptions in his work:
“I realized he wasn’t a photographer or artist but a philosopher who used photography to serve his visions. He created a language between the real world and the surreal.”
Consequently, the exhibition at Franz Mayer traces Smith’s entire career, from his early photographic endeavors in 1970 to his final works before his death in 2016.
“Smith’s resonance with surrealism is particularly about transcending the obvious. The scopic impulse was a hallmark of surrealism, precisely the desire to see beyond. It also involved a relationship with circadian time versus divine time, which can be understood through the timeless quality of Smith’s images.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Rodney Smith? Rodney Lewis Smith, a New York-based photographer (1947–2016), is now recognized for his significant contributions to fashion photography and surrealism.
- Why is this exhibition important? It’s the first Latin American showcase dedicated to Smith’s work, offering a comprehensive look at his career from 1970 until his death in 2016.
- What makes Smith’s photography surreal? His images transcend the obvious, using eccentric and golden letters to describe ambiguity. They also explore relationships between real-world and surreal perspectives.
- What inspired new interpretations of Smith’s work? Curator Anne Morin’s visit to Smith’s home library sparked her determination to reshape perceptions in his work, viewing him as a philosopher who used photography to serve his visions.
