Photos: My Scholarship entry - Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 in Downtown Mexico City

fernandopichardo — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:30:00 GMT

As an Art History student, I’ve been in touch with the rich legacy of my country. Reading about its past has motivated me to travel to places people hardly go so I can perceive them with my senses. I’ve learnt that a work of art is not only the one that is exposed in a museum, but the actions that inspire a person’s existence as well. After my dad gave me my first camera, I decided to explore my surroundings so I could find something good to be portrayed. I soon realized that there were countless details and situations in my daily life which I used to overlook. I like to think that every image I take is an extension of myself, each one containing the ability to narrate a part of my story. Photography has taught me that every element has a load of perfection, and that a right combination of events will let anyone to capture a piece of what makes this world beautiful. Choosing that path has given me a deeper contact with my soul and an appreciation of reality just by the way it is. Being part of this project would give me the very first chance to show my own vision of life, while I improve my way of transforming ideals and feelings into lines, colors and words. Sincerely, Fernando

My Scholarship entry - Seeing the world through other eyes

fernandopichardo — Mon, 9 Apr 2012 17:22:00 GMT

I can definetly say that the way I perceive things in the world changed two years ago, when I was just about to begin my senior year in a private high school at Toluca, a small town located a few miles west of Mexico City. Some of my friends were starting to wonder which degree they would take in the future. While some wanted to move to the capital, others preferred to study in a foreign university. I just knew I was hoping to help transform my country into a better place to live by using art as an ally.
In my opinion, Mexico tends to admire foreign cultures more than its own; everybody is so used to complain about our government, economy and history, but just a few attempt to change their realities.
During those weeks I had the opportunity of being in four different cities spread on three continents: Mexico City, Amsterdam, Istanbul, and Vancouver. I could hardly believe I was actually covering all those distances in such a short time. I saw people from all over the world, heard a great number of languages, and even listened to music genres I did not know existed.
Each destination has a personal meaning to me: I saw the detailed technique of Vermeer's paintings, listened to the muezzins' call to prayers at Sultanahmet, admired the sunset at English Bay, but in the end all this diversity helped me to understand that Mexico is a territory that has valuable masterpieces, ancestral buildings and breathtaking landscapes as well.
After experiencing all these new sensations I began to travel more often around my city and country. I discovered a lot of museums, villages, churches and ruins that are almost unknown, concluding that it is not necessary to spend a fortune to encounter amazing places and become a more sensitive and happy individual as a result.
By accepting the challenge of showing others the vast patrimony my country has, I eventually made my choice. I am currently studying Art History at Universidad Iberoamericana.

Fernando's Journal

Photos: My Scholarship entry - Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 in Downtown Mexico City

My Scholarship entry - Seeing the world through other eyes