Church, Coapiaxtla Possibly 1933 - 1967

Curator: Let’s consider Paul Strand’s photograph, "Church, Coapiaxtla," possibly created between 1933 and 1967, part of his work made in Mexico. What are your first thoughts? Editor: Immediately, the quietude strikes me. There's a timeless quality, a solemn stillness captured in the weathered stone and the muted tones of the print. The symmetry is compelling—gateposts topped with statues frame the church behind. Curator: For me, I am drawn to the materials themselves, the probable history, the possible labour. Think about the building itself: what combination of materials, likely sourced locally, comprised this church and the gate? Look at the formal nature of it; he has considered the impact this would have as an accessible printed work. Editor: It is clear he understands this location at an archetypal level, that we might see the universal in a small regional church. The cross at the top, flanked by the bowed figures—aren’t those figures telling? One clutches something to her chest; the other appears to pray. It really captures something deep about faith, a quiet acceptance of fate. Curator: Right, and it’s important to remember the social and political context here too. Strand was very engaged with ideas from Mexican Muralism. This wasn’t just a pretty picture. His material, in this instance the photographic paper, became a platform, making this culture available to the US public. Editor: I agree. There's a certain resonance with Mexican Muralism's emphasis on national identity and cultural pride through the architecture of its visual program. This photograph encapsulates something of the soul of a place and the resilience embedded in faith, offering a potent image with cultural continuity in mind. Curator: So it comes down to material evidence and circulation of information; in Strand’s lens, photography turns this church into both an object of cultural exchange, and I think you make the case that this echoes through time and informs our idea of religion, resilience and place, regardless of context. Editor: Precisely. The symbols are not static; they are activated across decades and in new settings. Curator: A beautiful connection, and a good illustration of how the process and the image intersect here, allowing multiple readings across time.