In the Press
MY MODERN MET
“Photographer Craig Varjabedian is known for his stunning portrait series celebrating the lives and cultures of Native Americans. The Native Light Photo Collaboration project sees Varjabedian working with Indigenous people around New Mexico to create photographs that highlight their spirit . . .”
BORED PANDA
“When you look at the portraits, however, you don't see just the subject. You also get a glimpse of the bond they share with the photographer. After all, both of them have equal control of the end result. One takes care of what's behind the frame — operating the camera . . .”
THE PHOBLOGRAPHER
“I want the resulting image to reveal a deeper sense of the person in front of the camera.” Varjabedian has worked on several projects throughout his long, successful career. In this interview, we focus on his ongoing series, Native Light. The focus is simple: turn a lens on the rich history . . .”
WORLD OPEN NEWS (Italy)
“One of the greatest difficulties in making these photographs lies precisely in the complexity of building the relationship between photographer and subject. Native Americans represent a minority who have often had to suffer betrayal, lies and violence. No wonder some are cautious and wary . . .”
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
“Native Light” is an “exploration of how one develops and sustains cultural identity in the aftermath of genocide” and rooted in “the need to explore how the visual representation of self can rebuild specific cultural identity for individuals and, perhaps, future generations.”
THALMARY (Belgium)
“Photographs are not only carefully prepared photographs, they are still stories that conceal things so rich and immeasurably important in the history of people and nations that both the photographer and the model are the protagonists who plant visual impressions on the viewers . . .”