The Benildean Press Corps’ award-winning photography folio Dekunstrukt showcases a plethora of photography pieces that capture the theme “Relive,” a recollection of cherished memories of the life once lived.
Through exclusive interviews, we caught up with the photographers of the top three entries, as well as their photos’ stories.
TOP 1: “Ravishing Desert” by Alexiandria Chavez, ID 118 (AB-MMA)
“Enthralling, free, godlike.” In an interview with The Benildean, Multimedia Arts (MMA) student Alexiandria Chavez shared that “Ravishing Desert” was reimagined from one of their favorite films. “The orange skies in Blade Runner 2049 gave a beautiful aura yet mystery still shrouds kind of feeling. Which I was reminded of when I was in the desert.”
Films have always inspired them in their photography. Citing Blade Runner 2049 as a cinematic masterpiece, “the colors in the film were not only used to create visually stunning shots but played a huge role in telling the narrative. [Director] Denis Villeneuve and [Cinematographer] Roger Deakins were geniuses for that,” they explained.
Harking back to 2018 during their family vacation in Dubai, specifically the Desert Safari Tour, “It was after the dune bashing that we took a stopover in the middle of the desert. It was really beautiful not because it was my first time to see such, but it’s just really breathtaking like a scene from a movie along with the warm wind, soft sands, and the orange sun,” they added.
Despite only having their phone and GoPro, Chavez was also able to capture the desert’s beauty perfectly. They would definitely want to revisit the so-called godlike desert in the future and see how different they envisioned it from back then.
Despite being a simple art form, photography has the power to tell stories and evoke varying emotions to each and every person. “It may trigger memories that make us happy, remind us of a person we treasure, a change in perspective, inspire us to do something we’ve been putting off for a long time and a whole lot more. No matter how simple that is, evoking a single person is at least enough to tell how photographs are powerful,” they added.
To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, Chavez has been watching films and series nearly every night. “Not only as a destresser but also to engage myself in a multitude of cinematic visuals and storytelling that could inspire my works in the future.” They also play video games from time to time and listen to music across a variety of genres.
Truly, even at a time like this, the arts are essential. According to Chavez, it does not “only entertain us, but comfort us during these trying times. The effect of the pandemic varies to each one of us, and these arts help people to stay grounded, inspired, live, and feel.”
TOP 2: “Avant Que Diem: Before Days” by Justin Thomas D.J. Reyes, ID 119 (AB-MMA)
There was a time when commuting late at night, cramming projects with friends, and eating at the usual food trip spots were all a part of a college student’s daily routine. “Avant Que Diem: Before Days” is a recollection of moments captured by MMA student Justin Thomas D.J. Reyes’ past life, describing it with the words nostalgic, funny, and rambunctious.
The photos offer a glimpse into a specific moment in time that becomes part of an archive in your life. It is “literally taking a still of the time and places you’re in, and you can never replicate that,” Reyes said in an interview with The Benildean.
In the realm of the DC Universe, Henry Allen once said to his son Barry Allen/The Flash, “Make your own future.” Nostalgic and sentimental tendencies “give us a reason to continue living by reminding us that there’s more memories and events for us to enjoy in our lives [...] There’s so many things in our past that help remind us that there’s so many more possibilities and feelings to be felt with the people we enjoy life with,” Reyes expressed.
“I just wanted to experiment with different films (I also had no money to buy colored film) at the time and shoot portraits with people in them,” he added.
But as memories become fragments of time, friendships remain. Reyes shared that it is important to keep friendships nowadays and to remind oneself that there are people around. “For the most part, I’ve been writing a lot in a journal, reading so many more books than I ever have, and just enjoying the company of my friends online when we play or just watch movies together.”
“The time and things we can do nowadays are limited but it's nice to know there are people who will still check up on you and care about you [...] Although it's behind a [computer] screen, it's like a reminder that people are still there waiting for things to be okay and whenever I do see someone I haven’t seen in a while, I take a picture with them because I can never take the time to see them for granted,” he added.
TOP 3: “Destination” by Miguel Gillego, ID 118 (AB-MMA)
“Life goes on,” says MMA student Miguel Gillego, when asked about describing his photos in an interview with The Benildean.
Focusing on himself by eating more and working out, Gillego feels that going out is a sufficient mental boost as driving alone clears his mind, saying, “Just passing by a drive-thru and getting food and coffee would make me feel normal again.”
While spending time online playing Valorant and streaming movies on Discord with friends, Gillego shares that it’s nice to check up on friends once in a while despite not everyone having the best mental state to spend virtually hanging out.
“Destination” was taken two years ago when Gillego and his friends were on their way to Intramuros for a school project and stopped by at a bus terminal. “I decided to take my camera out to capture different people going on with their lives,” he said.
“[These photos] would take me back in time when things were different. It would make me realize that certain things are different and how life can change so quickly without you realizing it.”
During his freshman year in Benilde, it would take a three-hour commute to and from his house. Like most people, music is one’s best friend when commuting. Gillego’s go-to playlist would be any OPM playlist to hype him up every morning going to school and coming home.
As photos capture the memories from before, commuting during these times and revisiting would help bring those memories back. “Just recently I drove through my commute route and just seeing the road and buildings really took me back in time and I had flashbacks of those days,” he added.
In a time of uncertainty, one could relate the “commute life” as being uncertain on whether or not you would get to your destination on time. But no matter how stressful it can be, you’re most certainly sure someone or something will be waiting at the end of one’s journey.
