My Pilsen Telenovela

I am in a show that opens in a couple of weeks and I will be doing an installation of digital prints. Today i started shooting with a little help from my friends. Above is one of the frames and below is my statement for the pieces. Once completed I hope will look awesome. And here is info about the show: http://polvo.org/romantico.htm

Pilsen Telenovela
digital print
Miguel Cortez, 2006

This print consist of overly-dramatic fake events/actions that are suppossed to mock scenes from an imaginary spanish "novela" taking place in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Using a high resolution digital camera, I posed people in carefully planned and scripted situations. An installation of these prints were shown at Glass Curtain Gallery in Chicago.

Telenovelas have a history that goes back to the 1950s in Latin America. They are usually targeted to the working class(hence the popularity) and some of the stereotypical plots are often based on stories dealing with class issues such as about a poor girl who falls in love with a rich man and whose family does not understand her. While some others deal with teen isues and the problems of youth and growing up. Most of the actors are usually white latinos playing working class people but for this project the people who I shot visually look mestizo and resemble more what the "telenovela's" audience is.

Download a low res PDF here