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Update #4: Thank You
Dear All,
Earlier this morning this effort became a success, and I am left feeling deeply grateful for your support. Of course, the thought passed my mind that the use of the internet to further a project that is, at root, about the destructive forces of modernity could be viewed as ironic, but, if so, it's an irony that is not cynical, but hopeful: a small validation that we have yet to be overwhelmed by the ether. Thank you.
The migration story is complex, both timeless and deeply tied to the moment. In the U.S. we are certain to witness its perversion and more political exploitation of immigrants in the coming year. This is another reason why I have been so preoccupied with what is going on in the Mixteca, why addressing it feels so vital, and why your support to continue my work there is so appreciated.
I will begin to make prints soon and hope to have them to you promptly. For those who requested silver gelatin, an extra degree of patience is requested. If you have any questions, or comments, please email them to: mail@mattblack.com. I will get back to you right away.
Again, my sincerest thanks.
-- Matt Black
Update #3: Halfway Point
Dear All,
Today is the halfway point on this campaign, and I am pleased and honored to say that we are very close to crossing the funding threshold. If you have friends or colleagues who may be willing to contribute, and secure the project's support, please encourage them to do so.
Also, for those of you on Facebook, please take a moment to visit the project's page -- I'll be posting news and announcements there as the project moves forward, so be sure to sign up to stay informed.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-People-of-Clouds/215529705133267
Thank you again. More soon.
Best,
Matt
Update #2: Some News
Dear All,
First, a quick update. Three weeks ago I posted about the importance of rain during this time of year for Mixtec farmers. Southern Mexico's dry spell is continuing. It's not too late to save this year's crop, but let's hope that they will soon get some rain or this year could be a true disaster for thousands of families in the Mixteca. I'll keep you posted on this as we move forward.
Today is the thirty day mark on this campaign and a piece about the project was posted on National Public Radio's The Picture Show. If you get a moment, please take a look.
In addition to today's NPR piece, last week the New York Times featured the project on its Lens Blog, joining Pete Brook's Prison Photography, Stan Banos' Reciprocity Failure, Asim Rafiqui's The Spinning Head, Monica Lozano's Cienojos, and Aline Smithson's Lenscratch -- as well as many personal blogs and shared links by friends and colleagues -- in helping to support the project.
I'm grateful and humbled by the response.
Sixty days left and there is still some ground to cover to make the project a success. Please help get the word out, perhaps by sharing a link to one of the articles above. Again, your assistance in helping to tell this story is much appreciated.
Thank you.
Best,
Matt
Update #1: Thank you
Dear All,
One week into this campaign, and I want to say thank you for your early support. It is a key vote of confidence in the project, and I am grateful.
A footnote to consider: these first weeks of June are important in the lives of the farmers of the Mixteca. The rainy season is about to begin, and even a brief delay can be fatal to the corn plants now sprouting in the fields. The farmers' future, sometimes their very survival, is right now slowly baking in the sun, utterly dependent and in trust that drops of water will soon fall from the sky.
Thank you, again. More soon.
Matt
121
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$9,599
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on August 23, 2011.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
A postcard of thanks and access to updates, news, and reporting, and an invitation to contribute to the discussion on the project's Facebook page.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
(Receive all of the above +) A special edition 8x10 Epson print of image number one, below. Printed on 100% cotton rag paper using archival inks, your print will bear a special inscription of thanks to the supporters of this campaign.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
(All of the above +) Your Epson print becomes a set of three 8x10s, one each, of images one through three, below.
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
(All of the above +) Your Epson print becomes the complete set of five 8x10s, one each, of images one through five, below.
Pledge $150 or more Pledge $150 or more
(All of the above +) A signed copy of Orion magazine article, a DVD of the Daylight Multimedia piece, a copy of the traveling exhibition catalog and a personal letter of thanks.
Pledge $350 or more Pledge $350 or more
(All of the above +) A signed 8x10 silver gelatin print of an image of your choosing from the project's website: www.thepeopleofclouds.com.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
(All of the above +) Your silver gelatin print of choice increases in size to 11x14.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
(All of the above +) Your silver gelatin print of choice increases in size to 16x20.
Pledge $2,000 or more Pledge $2,000 or more
(All of the above +) Your silver gelatin print becomes a special edition portfolio of five images of your choosing from the project's website, printed to 11x14, signed, matted and delivered in a linen box.
Pledge $2,500 or more Pledge $2,500 or more
AND YOU ARE A PATRON. (All of the above +) A personal phone call from Oaxaca at the start and conclusion of my trip, a personal presentation of the completed project via Skype and an invitation for a studio visit at my home in California.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
AND YOU ARE A SPONSOR. (All of the above +) A private lecture delivered to your organization anywhere within the continental US.
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Matt Black's photographs have received many honors and have been noted for their combination of emotional depth, social conviction, and visual intensity.
Matt grew up in a small town in California's Central Valley, a vast agricultural area that is home to some of the poorest communities in the United States. He began taking photographs at a young age and worked as a newspaper photographer while in his teens. Early travels in Mexico and Central and South America deepened his interest in changing rural economies, migration, and cultural change, themes that he has been exploring photographically for over a decade.
His work has received grants and awards from the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the California Arts Council, Pictures of the Year International, the California Council for the Humanities, the Alexia Foundation for World Peace, the Sunday Magazine Editors Association, Communication Arts, American Photography, Lightwork, and the Center for Photographic Projects. His work has also been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and has received a Golden Eye award from the World Press Photo Foundation.
Thanks and good luck!