After a successful show in Montreal, “Mozos” an exhibition of photographs by Luis Rokeach comes to New York City. From October 4th to October 24th 2012, every day from Monday to Friday, between 11 AM to 5 PM, the Consulate General of Argentina houses the exhibition of the photographic works of Luis Rokeach, entitled «Mozos, Garçons de café de Buenos Aires». The opening will be on October 4th from 6 to 8PM.

Luis Rokeacch is a Buenos Aires born, artist photographer based in Montreal, with an international career. About the photographs of Luis Rokeach it is said: "Through his photos, you can see the look of the artist, who knows so well how to capture the beauty hidden from our vision in our daily lives, and does reveal to us the hidden beauty, out of his time and ours, giving to his images an impression of eternity. ” (A. Munoz, Montreal).

On this exhibition
Tell us about the background of this exhibition. “This exhibition is the result of a contest organized by the Consulate General of Argentina and the Ministry of Foreign Affaires of Argentina. It is a great honour for me to have been selected, and I am very proud of presenting my work in this context.” Why this exhibition on the waiters of Buenos Aires? The waiters in Buenos Aires have something special that characterizes them; it is their great professional pride. Their posture, their eyes, their body language, eloquently speak of their pride in doing for years their job "comme il faut". Being a “Mozo” is choosing a lifestyle, it requires devotion; it is a profession in the true sense of the term.

Always attentive to the patron, the “Mozo” will bring the dishes the client desires, whether or not they are on the menu. In addition to waiting, the “Mozo” is sometimes a confidant, sometimes a psychologist, but always discrete. Philosopher, political scientist and economist at times, either through life experience or through his imagination, the “Mozo” always has something to say about everything he knows, and especially about what he does not know.

Traditionally, the profession of “Mozo” was reserved for men of a certain age. However, like everything changes in this world, the profession of “Mozo” is also changing in Argentina. Now, it is not uncommon to see young students working temporarily as waiters, and even young women working as 'Mozos'.

With this series of photographs I want to honor and immortalize the “Mozos” who, in my opinion, are part of the cultural heritage of Argentina.
According to Luis Rokeach: “Poetry is found in everyday life, in Nature, in the world. Often imperceptible to most of people, poetry reveals itself to the eye of the artist. Poets record it with ink and paper, photographers write it with light. My intent is that each image that I capture tell a story, or in fact, as many stories as people see for themselves. My desire is that the emotions evoked by my photographs become stories colored by the life experiences and the perceptions of the observer.”

About Luis Rokeach
Luis Rokeach was born in Buenos Aires and has lived in different places in the world: Argentina, Israel, Belgium, Denmark, California, and currently lives in Montreal. His vast international experience has provided him with a vision that is Universalist and sensitive to diverse cultures. His education in arts and photography is through workshops in art academies, photo associations, and creative experimentation. Luis is also a research scientist (genetics) by formal education. He expresses his creative passion through photography, writing, painting, theatre, and science. Luis Rokeach has exposed in Tel Aviv, Brussels, Odense, San Diego, Montreal, and New York.

For those who cannot come to his exhibition in person they can virtually see it by visiting his website: www.mozos-in-new-york-city

Place of the exhibition:
Consulate General of Argentina
12 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
Phone : 212.603.0400