Mark Menjivar - LENSCRATCH

Mark Menjivar by Aline SmithsonNovember 2, 2009

I am featuring a few more Critical Mass portfolios that were stand-outs in my very subjective opinion. There are numerous others that have already been featured on Lenscratch.

San Antonio photographer, Mark Menjivar, is part detective, sociologist, and explorer. His new series, You Are What You Eat, explores what we consume, how we consume it, and what we do with the leftovers. It’s a fascinating look into the private world of refrigerators and if you click on the images, you might spot a frozen rattle snake or an ice cold American towel.

Mark also has a limited edition Food Journal, Illustrated by Kate Bingaman-Burt of 20×200, for sale on the Ampersand website. Mark also has work available through 20×200.

You Are What You Eat is a series of portraits made by examining the interiors of refrigerators in homes across the Untied States. For three years I have traveled across the country exploring different food issues. The more time I spent speaking and listening to individual stories, the more I began to think about the foods we consume and the affects they have on us as individuals and communities. An intense curiosity and questions about stewardship led me to begin making these unconventional portraits. A refrigerator is both a private and a shared space. One person likened the question, “May I photograph the interior of your fridge?” to asking someone to pose nude for the camera. Each fridge is photographed “as is”. Nothing added, nothing taken away. These are portraits of the rich and the poor. Vegetarians, Republicans, members of the NRA, those left out, the under appreciated, former soldiers in Hitler’s SS, dreamers, and so much more. We never know the full story of one’s life. My hope is that we will think deeply about how we care. How we care for our bodies. How we care for others. And how we care for the land.