MOTIVATION It was the photographer‘s first assignment from the newspaper's director. The elderly gentlemen in the chair was trying to find a photograph that showed technical virtuosity, visually expressing an idea in a simple, straight forward way. He finally recommends the photographer shoot a close shot of a pigeon going into flight. The director believes this image will impart peaceful wishes to the readers of his paper’s up coming anniversary issue. The photographer has recently arrived to this city from another country; drawn by the love for a particular woman. He doesn’t know where to find a pigeon. While searching, he meets an ancient veteran from the Chaco War who advises going to the Paraguayan Army’s “Communications Battalion“. According to the old man, they had a number of carrier-pigeons. These message carriers were used in the last war but currently only kept for sport. The following day at dawn, the photographer arrives to the main building of the “Tacumbu” neighborhood Battalion. There he is received by an army official. He triedsto explain his mission better than he can. The official thinks for a moment and subsequently shouts to the first soldier he sees: “You have one minute to get me a pigeon!!!!” The officer makes his command in Guarani, the country’s indigenous language, which is not yet understood by the recently immigrated photographer. Seconds after the commanded minute, the soldier reappears with a dead pigeon, dripping blood, in hand. He shamefully explains it’s the biggest bird he’d encountered on the roof. In this instant the photographer realizes there is a deeper narrative to be told and one image will not unfold all the metaphorical facts. A different approach needs to be employed to photographically reveal the story of life and relationships within the army ranks of his newly adopted country. It is with inspiration, the passage of time and perseverance the photographic account he envisions is ultimately achieved. By the way, the photographer did find the living pigeon requested by the newspaper director, far from the army barracks in a flour mill; after he walked a lot, worried! Jorge Saenz, June 1995.
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