Photojournalist presents photographs at MSU’s Visual Arts Center

The Reflector - life









“Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”











After viewing Sebastián Suki Beláustegui’s photography collection, this quote by Elliot Erwitt made much more sense to me. Choice pieces of his photography are currently on display  at the Mississippi State University Visual Arts Center. 






Beláustegui, who goes by Suki, is a self-taught photographer from Argentina who has dedicated his life to learning about indigenous cultures across the world. He has traveled through countries and lived in 25 indigenous communities. His photographs don’t just show people these environments, they tell a story.





Lori Neuenfeldt, the gallery director, said Suki’s latest body of work is titled “Africa in the Americas” and he has been documenting American people with African heritage and learning about the variety of cultures across the Americas. She said his work shows the individuality of the people in these communities and offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about them.





“Photography is a means to access and understand the world,” Neuenfeldt said, “and Suki’s pieces lend students the opportunity to access cultures that have been overlooked or lost in translation.”





One of the photographs in the gallery is of a man on a boat with a large bag of colorful flowers. While this photo is striking in and of itself, it is also a testament to the intimacy Suki has and the trust he gains from the people he photographs. Suki does not even bring out his camera on his first day in an area– he spends time with the people. 





Karina Zelaya, a professor at MSU, has been helping plan Suki’s visit since this fall. She said she has been looking forward to Suki visiting and said she is very hopeful that students will take this ...


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