South o' the Line
12-oz Tecate, Tepotzlan, Mexico
As the first known work of Ramirez y Borracho, "South o' the Line" is more visually remarkable for what it is not than what it is. Rather than focus his lens on any of Mexico's more renowned natural or historical features, the artist instead has chosen as his canvas a humble barbed-wire fence in the central Mexican state of Morelos.
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Golden Treasure in the City of Silver
12-oz Bohemia, Taxco, Mexico
Another photo from Ramirez y Borracho's early period, "Golden Treasure in the City of Silver" reflects the artist's early emphasis on salt-of-the-earth themes. Perched on a hillside above Taxco, the Bohemia bottle looks down over cobblestone streets and red tile roofs, symbols of Mexico's humble roots, with the church in the distance representing Mexico's deep religious faith.
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Tomb of the Ancients
12-oz Corona, Mitla, Mexico
This work exemplies a seismic shift in Ramirez y Borracho's focus (or lack of same). The artist's sense of disillusion with the Catholic church became profound at this point, and he slowly became turning his attention to Mexico's indigenous heritage as a source for material.
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