It is a traditional practice about the migration of animals, led by shepherds who goes in search of mountains for fresh pasture during the summer months and warmer temperatures in the valleys of the south of the peninsula during the winter period.

In the twentieth century the practice of seasonal migration of livestock that has been gradually disappearing because of the convenience of transporting animals by truck or train, because of the lack of new labor and because of the progressive abandonment and deterioration of livestock path.

It is not the case of Doña Alicia Chico Garcia cattle, the last person in Spain to keep alive this tradition. Every year, at the end of May, hundreds of cows, bulls and oxen move from the hot lands of Andalusia, in Jaen province, to the cool mountains of Aragon, in Teruel province. The Mayoral Gerardo and three cowboys, Juan Manuel, Jose Luis and Vicente lead the herd. During a month these cowboys, followed all the way by Masimo, the jeep driver which is carrying food, clothes and everything it’s needed for the journey, travel over 400 km in stages of 25 km per day.

Along this path, which in Castilla-La Mancha coincides with the route of Don Quixote, pass 458 cows, 200 calves, three bulls and ten oxen, crossing mountains, small villages, rivers and roads.

For Doña Alicia the modern animal migration, with trucks and trains, is not economically viable, given the number of animals that she has to move, that’s way she has continued over the years, this thousand-year-old tradition.

Cowboys like Luís and Manuel gain live from other activities, but when it comes the moment of the seasonal migration of livestock they disconnect from the routine of the city and take leave to join the expedition.

A typical day begins very early in the morning before the sunrise; after a coffee they count the cows making them passing through a human tight spot and if none is missing the march starts until noon. The second part starts after a long siesta, around 6 pm and they walk until they reach the destination, normally when it is already dark. Despite the hard work, for some of them the day is not over, as they have to guarding during night time to prevent some animals to escape and to keep herd tight.

This adventure ends after almost four weeks once they reach Terriente, a small village in the Albarracin mountains. In November the livestock will be taken back to Jaen to spend the winter in a warmer environment.

Behind the Mask on august issue of Vision Magazine, China.

Belarus Free Thetare at Bin11 Gallery, Turin, Italy, from the 8th of July till the 23rd of July.

A selection of “Lonely at Night” published in Gioia magazine, May issue.

a

]]> http://www.alessandrovincenzi.it/site/2011/05/news-may-2011/feed/ http://www.alessandrovincenzi.it/site/2011/02/rosemaries-baby/ http://www.alessandrovincenzi.it/site/2011/02/rosemaries-baby/#comments Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:22:28 +0000 sandro http://www.alessandrovincenzi.it/site/?p=252

I’ve spent the last nine months looking at my girlfriend’s belly.

Studying this sinuous body gliding silently from one corner of the house to another.

This round shape where you can place a book or a cup of tea. A creature she nourished, to whom she read, spoke and played music. It was an amazing certainty, obsessive with care and attention for this new member of the family.

I was a total stranger to this new complicity between them and at the same time felt prouder than ever.

Every new change in her body reflected a new sparkle in her eyes. Always caressing her belly, adjusting the protuberances that pushed from one side of the belly to the other.

I used to hear her steps at night, her breathing and moans. I searched… I wanted to find a solution to the mystery of her peace.

I started to photograph her to get closer, to understand the secret of her sight. My camera became the bridge that let me be part of this new relationship. There was no time for telling others stories when our own story was here more beautiful than any other.

To capture the right moment was not the goal, but to understand the enigma of this wholeness.

As I tried I got close to obsession. Every morning, afternoon and night, I wished to be there with them. I wished to find words to describe those changes happening in front of my eyes.

There are not enough words for each feeling, no adjectives for each look or expression.

This is what the image is for. To suggest.

a

Rosemarie’s Baby featured in Vision Magazine, China, December issue.

a

Sex Work in Himal Magazine, Nepal-India. Issued August 2010

a

a

a

Belarus Free Theater featured in Vision Magazine, China. Issued August 2010

a

Featured in Geo Italy in the July 2010 issue.