Monterrico is always that island, that constant, that universe, that instant.
The mangroves, the waterways and their reflections—traversed so many times— the artisans of the water in their daily labor, the volcanoes now outlined by the faint glow of the day about to arrive, are now the artist’s concern and his almost obsessive constant. It is in this realm of twilight, in that magical hour when the light has not yet conquered the shadows but can already be sensed imperceptibly, that Guillermo Gutiérrez has established his kingdom of absence, of the fragility and subtlety of that instant that transfigures everything, brushing the space with unusual strokes, sketching unimaginable shapes and colors. In that penumbra, we perceive the changing and eternal spirit of that magical moment in which the memory of what was loved and is now absent becomes imprinted on our retina— that fleeting instant we pursue and attempt to grasp, as illusory as water slipping through our fingers, and which Guillermo has now succeeded in capturing forever in each image of this series.
The faint light is the thread of Ariadne that guides us through this labyrinth where we arrive, absorbed, to encounter its ghostly, incorporeal, luminous, transmuted, abstract inhabitants.
In this constant capturing of moments, nothing is left to chance. Guillermo moves patiently through the veins of the mangrove, pursuing those images he has already shaped in his mind and now seeks to capture with precision and impeccable technique. This is the result of hours upon hours spent studying his subject and his camera, learning to make the most of their qualities: deciding how many seconds of exposure here, how many there, what sensitivity, what speed, what aperture— anticipating the moment in order to press the shutter at the precise instant, to capture this ever-changing dance of light and share with us the emotion that overwhelms him. In each image, we can sense his feeling for aesthetics, rhythm, tempo—it is like materializing music. And in this symphony of colors and textures, we recognize the spirit of Guillermo Gutiérrez: his qualities and passions, his concern and his love for this little piece of paradise he arrived at years ago—where he integrated himself, sharing with its people and its environment in his constant search for beauty and for the reasons behind things. Each one of these works is a canvas where the alchemist and the light have worked their magic.
Delia Vigil Mattos
Guatemala, January 2017