April 17, 2006 – Mango Tango is pleased to announce the photography exhibition of Steffen Larsen.The signed photos are presented and available in 24-inch or 36-inch square format.
His digital camera, a Contax 645 with a phase One P digital back, powerful computer,and the best in wide format printing help him create, edit, and print the stellar photos.
A small selection of his St.Thomas shots have been shown in a preview in the gallery. They capture the quiet grandeur of the historical buildings of St. Thomas.
Viewers are eager to see the complete suite of photos.
Larsen has just returned from Havana. His motivation for traveling to Cuba and how he approached photography there is best described in his own words.
"Havana is a goldmine of colonial architecture going all the way back to Columbus, and at the point and time in a very sorry state. During last year's hurricane season part of downtown had four to five feet of seawater in the streets, and United Nations conservation experts predicted that many buildings would start to crumble within 6 months. This made me really wanted to go visit now.
"I knew I took a risk in bringing only one camera, but I have yet to hear anyone having problems with their Contax, seen by many as the best medium format camera ever made. I was particularly keen on checking out my newly purchased Apo Macro 120mm lens, and as it turned out it became my lens of choice whenever possible.
"From my balcony, I overlooked several square kilometers of streets, alleys, avenues, and squares of the finest 18th and 19th century architecture in the Western hemisphere. Only a small section of town has undergone serious renovation and nice as it is, it was not on my list of photographic targets. I'm a sucker for pealing paint, crumbling plaster, and worn out doors and windows–I was in Paradise! "In my tiny rental car I spent my day cruising the streets of this once magnificent metropolis, and every time I eyed something interesting I pulled over and stopped. How many places in the world can you pull over and stop anywhere you want to? Add to that you can do it safely. Another surprise was the fact that nobody seemed to mind having a camera pointed at him. What more could I ask for?
"I would come back to the same spot the next day at a different time and what was in bright sunshine the day before was now in the shade. However, the biggest surprise for me were the cars.
"Everybody knows about the cars in Cuba. Hundreds and hundreds of American cars from the forties, fifties, and early sixties roam the streets, many of them serving as taxicabs. I could not help it, more and more I turned my attention towards these magnificent relics, and with the stately old buildings as backdrops, it was almost impossible to take a bad shot."
Gallery co-owner Jane Coombes adds, "Larsen's photos capture nostagia and remind one of man's connection to the past. We have found such a positive response to his Charlotte Amalie images, that we are anxious to see the reaction to his homage to the buildings and cars of Cuba."
The show continues for one month. Click Here to learn more about the Gallery, or call 777-3060.
