Martín Chambi is today regarded as one of the most important photographers of the twentieth century. Between 1920 and 1950 he assembled an unprecedented collection of photographs of the people and landscape of Cusco, the ancient Inca capital that was in his day a cultural center in Peru. His studio was favored by the local elite, whose fiestas, weddings, and portraits he imbued with a unique outsider’s sensibility. Above all, he devoted himself to photographing his own people—the highland Indians whose ancestors built Cusco—with a keen postcolonial eye.
I travelled to Cusco with the idea of following Martin Chambi’s steps and recreating a couple of his most iconic photographs from Cusco’s main square. I thought that this would give me an insight into his approach and it in fact did but also, it imbued me with a kind of magical instinct to find scenes whilst I was wandering the streets and villages of Cusco.
©Martin Chambi
One of the most iconic images of Martin Chambi. The Plaza de Armas seen from Plateros street early in the morning. I tried my best to replicate the original image. ©The Enlightened Flaneur
©Martin Chambi
Mantas street and La Merced church seen from the Plaza de Armas. ©The Enlightened Flaneur
From here, the first thing to do was to find the building where Martin Chambi’s studio was located and after that, I undertook my searching of images, wandering the streets and villages of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.
The building in Mantas street where Martin Chambi’s studio was located is an hotel and sports shop nowadays.
Late at night Cusco’s Plaza de Armas becomes a bit quiet during weekdays. Here, Cuesta del Almirante street. Photo©The Enlightened Flaneur
An ancient Andean practice of the women of the Andes is to carry things or babies on the back. ©The Enlightened Flaneur
One typical narrow street of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. ©The Enlightened Flaneur
A woman is taking a rest at Chicnchero’s main square. The district of Chinchero is located at an elevation 3780 meters (12400 feet) and its famous for its authentic and traditional Sunday market. The new Cusco’s international airport is planned to be built in this village. ©The Enlightened Flaneur
A local woman creates handcrafts and weavings following the traditional techniques in the village of Chinchero.
The presence of the catholic church had an enormous impact in the Andean region and created a distinctive blend of catholic and native rites, imagery and beliefs. A nun walks down a steep street of Chinchero. ©The Enlightened Flaneur