Place: San Cristóbal
Place: San Cristóbal
Place: La Altagracia, Herrera, Santo Domingo
Place: La Altagracia, Herrera, Santo Domingo
Place: Jarabacoa, La vega
Place: Manabao, La vega
Place: Manabao, La vega
Place: La Altagracia, Herrera, Santo Domingo
When I started the series about popular graphics in the Dominican Republic, I had no intention of documenting these businesses. Regardless, as I went to places, I couldn't stop myself from taking pictures because they were appealing, curious, and funny.
They may not be aesthetically pleasing to many, but looking at them from a different perspective is enough to appreciate them and deconstruct the idea of what a business "should" look like.
Instead of seeing them as ugly and outdated businesses, let's see them from another perspective: as an expression of Dominicanidad.
Although on many occasions, they use animated characters, like Bart Simpson or Woody Woodpecker, it is so intelligent and funny how they give a Dominican touch.
As I have commented in past essays on popular graphics, this photographic archive aspires to be an archive but also a deep appreciation of the cultural richness in each of these businesses. In a constantly evolving world, this essay seeks to be an archive and an appreciation of our cultural diversity.
