New York photographer Alejandra Regalado stopped in Gilroy this month to capture 21 women and the things they hold dear – through the lens of her camera.
The photos will be part of a photography book called “In Reference To,” which features women of Mexican descent in front of a white background, cropped to the proportions of a passport photo to represent the women’s immigration to the United States. The book will feature two photos per subject: A portrait of the woman, and a separate photo featuring an object the subject feels is representative of her.
When complete, the book will consist of 500 portraits of women and a corresponding 500 portraits of objects. Regalado selected her subjects from five regions: New York, Idaho/Oregon, Texas, Illinois and California.
“I thought, ‘I’m from Mexico City, I live in New York… but that’s not how all Americans live,’” she said, reflecting on a project that has taken her to six states and 10 cities. She has set up her camera gear in all sorts of environments including garages, basements, schools and living rooms.
A friend of Regalado’s suggested she consider shooting in Gilroy, and now the Garlic Capital is one of just three California cities included in the book, alongside Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Alejandra has already received international acclaim for her photography, including recognition as the 1st place Professional Photographer at the Festival de la Imagen in Mexico. In the U.S., she was an artist in residence at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago in 2013.
Alejandra first came to the U.S. six years ago to study digital photography in New York. Living in a non- Mexican neighborhood in the bustling American city made her miss the sound of her native language. It also showed her some of the cultural differences between where she grew up and where she was living.
“I learned the meaning of frustration when I came here,” she said.
It’s a concept many of her photography subjects understand.
“Even when you come, you never forget what you had back there,” said Gilroy resident Bertha Gonzalez, 37, as she prepared for her portrait Friday.
Bertha moved to the U.S. after she met her now husband, Hector Gonzalez. The two met at a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce event in San Jose while Bertha was visiting from Mexico City. Hector suggested she see San Francisco, then gave her a ride there. She gave him a Patron Saint of Peace prayer card, which features a devotional picture of a religious scene or saint.
“It has everything to do with the day we met,” said Hector as he reflected on the little card he had in his pocket the day he proposed to Bertha.
She tucked the card into a larger, framed replica of the patron saint, which was made by the priest that officiated their wedding ceremony in Mexico.
Their marriage – 1.5 years after they met – was the third time they saw each other in person after what Hector calls “a lot of Internet” and “a lot of telephone.” The couple has lived in Gilroy for 11 years now.
Many of the objects women choose are familiar to Alejandra. The most common object is a molcajete, the Spanish word for a mortar used to grind tomatoes and chiles for fresh salsa.
One woman brought in a stack of envelopes from letters she exchanged with the best friend she left behind in Mexico. The edges of the envelopes were red, green and white – the colors of the Mexican flag. Alejandra thinks she saw her mother writing on the same type of Mexican stationary years ago.
After working on this project for four years, Alejandra has only one city left: San Francisco.
Then, she’ll begin the process of preparing the photos for publication and having her translator create captions that translate smoothly in Spanish and English.
Details: www.alejandraregalado.com
