'Juan Rulfo's Mexico' opens Friday at BYU

PROVO — Spanish literary buffs recently observed the 50th anniversary of author Juan Rulfo's best-known novel, "Pedro Paramo."

Yet, when he laid down his pen and picked up his camera, that's when he captured the austerity, solitude and resilience of the landscape and people in rural Mexico.

The 62 black-and-white silver gelatin photographs explore the root and character of Mexican identity in the 1940s and 1950s, said Chris Wilson, museum marketing and communications manager.

"Rulfo's photography does not idealize rural life in Mexico but quietly observes and critiques the forces that have shaped that way of life," said Diana Turnbow, curator of photography at BYU Museum of Art. "The integrity and poignancy of his images equitably places Rulfo amongst the distinguished photographers of Mexico."

The Mexican Revolution ended the same year Rulfo was born, 1917, and he was a child during the Cristero Revolt from 1926-1928. He experienced first-hand events that dramatically shaped Mexico. As an adult he documented the remnants of those years — decaying buildings, colonial edifices and vacant towns.

"Amidst the gravity of life and death they communicate a quiet persistence — even resilience — of spirit and activity, as people farm, gather at market and participate in festivals and religious rituals. Ever present in Rulfo's photographs is the landscape.

"At times seemingly harsh and overwhelming, the landscape — which delineates and supersedes human history — has its own soul and beauty," Turnbow said.

Rulfo's writing also explores the themes of death, solitude and devotion. Both his collection of short stories, "El llano en llamas," written in 1953 and the novel "Pedro Paramo" that followed in 1955 have become classics of Mexican literature and are acclaimed internationally.

"To a large extent, Rulfo's literary success eclipsed his significant work in photography, film, and indigenous studies," Turnbow said.

Rulfo chose not to exhibit his photographs until late in life. Yet the opening of his archive revealed a rich and extensive visual record of rural and urban Mexico at a formative period in the 20th century, she said.

Rulfo's youngest son, Juan Carlos Rulfo, and Roberto Rochin Naya, both Mexican film directors, will participate in a film and lecture series related to the author/photographer's life and art that will run concurrent with the exhibition. The series, sponsored by the BYU Department of Spanish and Portuguese, will include 10 film screenings and five lectures and conversations with the two Mexican directors.