Humanist documentary photography and magical realism in Cristina García Rodero’s Transtempo

Abstract

This article presents an interdisciplinary analysis of Transtempo (2010) by Spanish photographer Cristina García Rodero, one of the leading figures in contemporary humanist documentary photography. To explore the multiple dimensions of her work, which documents traditions, festivals and rituals in Spain, a novel analytical method is proposed that combines four methodological approaches: visual-semiotic deconstruction, anthropological-contextual analysis, critical conceptual interpretation and historical-artistic analysis. The analysis reflects on how García Rodero interprets humanist documentary photography by capturing both the everyday and the extraordinary, using a visual language that, unlike other interpretations, this research considers is closely aligned with magical realism. Furthermore, the article explores how Transtempo represents the search for meaning in human experience while managing to eternalize customs and traditions that are on the verge of disappearing.