Interview

Written By Adelé Kotzé

George Garcia

A twenty-year US Army veteran and active trauma surgeon, George Garcia initially took up photography as nothing more than a justification to take a little time away from work. However, he rapidly developed a passion for it when he found that it awoke something within him. He felt an increasingly powerful connection with the wild places he explored. It very quickly seemed like the land began to speak to him, that he could sense the energy of each place flowing through him. It was as though he could increasingly feel our ancestor’s sense of wonder at these places overlapping with his own, almost like traveling back in time. As a result, his work reflects that energy and sense of wonder, sharing it with the viewer and awakening that connection within them. Born and raised in Southern California, George attended medical school in Maryland, completed his surgical training in Hawaii, and subspecialty training in Miami. After moving several times throughout his Army career, George now once again lives and works in Miami. Despite taking up photography relatively recently in 2018, George’s work has been awarded in, among other places, New York, Europe, London, Budapest, Tokyo, and Paris.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“By trade, I am a trauma surgeon. When I began my journey to that profession beginning with medical school, followed by General Surgery residency training, and finally Trauma Surgery & Surgical Critical Care fellowship it was at a time when there were no limitations on work hours. During most of my training, 120 hour work weeks were the norm and the expectation, often without even a day off for months at a time. As a result, my habit was to work non-stop. Eventually, though, I realized that I had to find some reason to take some time off, at least occasionally. I took a chance on buying a camera to see if I might like photography. As it turns out, I almost immediately, became passionate about it. So, the same work ethic that I applied to my medical career, I applied to my newfound passion and my work improved quickly.”

What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?

“Once I became comfortable with the technical aspect of photography, I noticed that I was becoming increasingly connected to the surroundings that I found myself in. Luckily, some of my early influences and mentors in photography were not the types to photograph trendy, crowded places for the ‘Instagram’ shot. So I found myself in remote, wild places where we were often the only people for miles, sometimes hundreds of miles. In these wild places, something began to awaken within me. I found myself feeling somehow connected to these places. Time after time, place after place, it was the same thing. I felt more and more at home the further and further I got from my actual home. Although this may sound corny to some, finally I realized that it was my ancient, wild self; dormant for most of my life; finally being called forward by these places. Now, instead of running for cover when it rains, I look up and relish the rain on my face. I long for the cold and the wind. The ocean sings to me from her depths. The mountains call me to their rugged walls. I realize that the modern world makes being comfortable easy. We weren’t made to be comfortable, though. We were made to wander and explore and to wonder and be amazed by what we find. My photography aims to awaken this ancient spirit in others, inspiring them to explore and marvel at the world. I know this ancient spirit is within all of us. We just have to wake it up and allow it to make us whole. So, I'm not sure that my work comments on any particular social issue. It does, I hope, encourage people to ‘unplug’ and realize that the virtual world; whether that's social media or, increasingly, AI; can never compare to the actual beauty of the wild, untamed world that is still out there. It doesn't matter if it's true wilderness or your local park, a part of us just longs to be outside.”

Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?

“I would say it's a combination of both. Most of my work requires travel, so planning the logistics of a trip has to be done in advance, obviously. Once I'm at a location, though, Mother Nature will decide and I have to improvise and adapt to the conditions that she provides. If my goal is to photograph the Milky Way at night, but the sky is covered in clouds, a Plan B has to be improvised, for example. If the conditions aren't conducive to what my original plan is, I try not to get frustrated, but rather take what shots I can and accept it as a reason to, perhaps, re-visit a location.”

“My photography aims to awaken this ancient spirit in others, inspiring them to explore and marvel at the world. I know this ancient spirit is within all of us. We just have to wake it up and allow it to make us whole.”

Are there any art world trends you are following?

“I don't know if I'm ‘following’ it, per se, but the rise of AI in the art world is something that I think all artists are aware of and struggling to make sense of. I think, though, that how ever good AI gets at generating images, it will always be missing that ‘something’ that only the artist can bring. It's as Ansel Adams said, ‘You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.’ That's something that no machine will ever be able to replicate.”

What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?

“I currently shoot with a Nikon Z9 and use, primarily, Lightroom and Photoshop to process my images.”

 What does your art mean to you?

“My art is a chance to experience the world and to really, really see it. It's also an opportunity to share a moment with someone that will never, ever happen again. Also, as I explained earlier, it's my effort to awaken in the viewer the desire to experience these places, or wild places of their own.”

What’s your favourite artwork and why?

“Photography is my favorite art work, although it's fair to say I'm biased. I feel like photography allows a real moment to be frozen and experienced forever. I do have a great appreciation for all art though and the artist's courage in sharing it with the world.”

 
Adelé Kotzé
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