RAFAEL ALCATA’S JOURNEY FROM ARCHITECTURE TO THE ART
OF PHOTOGRAPHY

STORY BY PAMELA Y. ROZON + IMAGES BY RAFAEL ALCATA

Published May 2024

Rafael Alcata, 41, describes himself as a visual artist rather than a photographer. He is the founder of Retina LatinoAmerica, an organization created in 2021 that holds exhibitions showcasing the long-term projects of primarily Latino photographers.

Although he’s now achieved success as a photographer, he didn’t start taking pictures at the very beginning of his career. He began by studying architecture in Mexico City, where he says that photography is not as wildly popular as it is in New York. After graduating and working in his field for a few years, he decided to move to New York City for a change of pace when he was 35 years old. He brought his barely-used digital camera with him from Mexico, and began photographing the city around him. He would walk through the crowded busy streets of Midtown Manhattan, snapping pictures of anything that caught his interest. As he shot, he began to form relationships with other street photographers, who then introduced him to film photography.

“That’s what I love about New York City–you can meet really good photographers, and they’re accessible–you can talk to them. In Mexico, they are like celebrities, on another level,” said Rafael.”I met street photographerin NYC and they looked at my work, and the feedback they gave me was very interesting. I wasn’t expecting major photographers to talk to me in this way about my stuff.”

Rafael views himself as a very introverted person, yet through his lens he finds unwavering confidence, “When I don’t have my camera, I feel like I could almost be like a ghost. When I have my camera I feel strong.” He says that when he’s using his camera, it becomes an extension of himself, a tool to connect with others in a more meaningful and fulfilling manner. “I think photography is very subjective,” said Rafael. “When I first tried to take photos, I was very aware about composition–that kind of stuff. Now that aspect is secondary.”

In many of Rafael’s photos there’s an intermingling of colors and shapes, and he uses his architecture background as inspiration for his art. He doesn’t like to merely rely on the technical aspects of photography, preferring to be creative and abstract in his work.

He has found inspiration from various artists, such as Luis Barragan, the renowned Mexican architect and engineer. As an architect, Rafael was enthralled with the way Barragan captured both Spanish and Mexican culture in the homes he designed. Rafael would often try to emulate Barragan’s work by experimenting with colors and shapes. Barragan once said, “No hagan lo que yo hice, vean lo que yo vi” (“Don’t do what I’ve done, look at what I’ve seen”). This resonated with Rafael, who often refers back to this quote for motivation in his art.

Another artist who inspired his work is the Mexican poet and diplomat Octavio Paz. Paz once said, “No es la memoria que recuerda lo pasado, sino el pasado que vuelve” (“It’s not memory that remembers the past; it’s the past that returns”). This quote inspired Rafael’s current long-term project to document various people who ride the ferry to Staten Island. A few months ago he began to feel homesick, but since he wasn’t able to travel he began to ride the ferry as a form of therapy. Feeling the ocean breeze and the smell of salt water eased his stress, “You have a lot of time to watch, observe,” said Rafael. It was during these ferry rides that he became interested in the lives of those who also traveled on the ferry, and he began to photograph them. “I was looking for a sense of community,” he said. Rafael was introduced to the Bronx Documentary Center five years ago by a friend. He was always interested in photobooks, and was told that the BDC had a large photobook collection.

After visiting for the first time, he instantly found connection within the community of photographers that make up the space. Rafael has been volunteering for more than a year, and hopes to continue to do so.