Juan Pablo Gutierrez
By: Anne Etienne

If you wait, people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view.
Steve McCurry

If this sentence sounds like a real commonplace for the "educated", Juan Pablo Gutierrez shows us by the strength of his images and the depth of his subjects that nothing is as evident.
Colombian photographer born three decades ago, Juan Pablo Gutierrez puts already a glance full of wisdom over everything that sorrounds him. A mixture of spontaneity, respect and authencity.

World's citizen, he lives to reveal to us the "undesired" of our society. Those who upset that much the authorities and the public opinion, and he does it in order to give back to them their dignity, so often violated. However, this young colombian photographer refuses every paternalistic or pessimistic approach, he claims to belong to the Humanist school, rather than the humanitarian. Juan Pablo Gutierrez gives importance to the 'why' behind his pictures. His work are the reflection of his position on this world and his philosophical commitment. This remarkable posture is translated in a photographic way by respect, complicity, smiles and dignity.
Vagrants, indigenous peoples, gypsies, destitutes; it does not matter if they sleep on a cardboard, under a bridge or in the sewers, the photographer will encounter them without fake compassion, full of humanity and optimism. It is through this natural way that a dialogue is built, a dialogue that goes beyond the power of words and that reveals the essence of each one of the images.
"In my work, the image is not the product of a punctual act, it is the result of a work that exceeds the short instant of the capture of the image. After long moments shared with my models. With my pictures I pretend to show a multiple portrait of the human condition, but with dignity. In order to reach the integrity of this labour it must exist a real personal and philosophical involvement."
In the same humble and honest way as he acts with his models, we would need several days to listen his anecdotes at the prestigious agency MAGNUM PHOTOS, or even confide to us in all modesty the list of international photography awards he has won, like the Great Award obtained twice at the Photo-Reporter contest of Paris Match.
Gutierrez's unquestionable talent, and his remarkable photographic and philosophical posture is a source of inspiration. These qualities have been recognized by the most prestigious institutions working for Human Rights such as Amnesty International, Survival, Rights & Democracy or the UNICEF, for which he currently works.