Malparaíso by JM Ramirez Suassi

In the evocative work of JM Ramirez Suassi, the photographic journey through landscapes, human encounters, and curiosities in "Malparaíso" can be likened to the mythic quests found in Greek mythology. Just as his photographs traverse a labyrinth of paths that branch out infinitely, Greek myths often explore journeys through labyrinths, most notably the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. Suassi’s labyrinth, however, does not lead to a monstrous end but to a complex web of human and environmental narratives, suggesting an ongoing, unresolved quest rather than a definitive confrontation.

Suassi's Malparaíso, as an imaginary and lost Eden, echoes the Garden of the Hesperides, a mythological paradise where golden apples guarded by a dragon symbolize a quest for precious, elusive knowledge. His depiction of the world in fragments resonates with the Orphic myths, where the pursuit of beauty and truth involves piecing together the scattered parts of a greater whole.

Moreover, his themes of racism, identity, migration, and violence draw parallels with the eternal struggles and moral complexities that define Greek mythology. His images that simultaneously convey rage, pain, beauty, and hope reflect the poignant dualities of mythic heroes who often embody both human frailty and divine insight. This deep engagement with themes that mirror the trials, transformations, and enlightenments of mythical figures enhances the literary and allegorical layers of Suassi’s work, making it a modern-day odyssey into the human condition.