I was struck since my first visit at   Ricardo Martinez's studio, great modern Mexican  painter, by a long wall lined with shelves full of precolonial small sculptures, and several other large ones scattered around .Their presence was always strongly  felt, while we were sitting in the studio holding  conversation, jumping themes freely and pleasantly. Ricardo Martinez was 88 years old ,when I met him through a mutual friend ,still very active and painting, he had started collecting precolonial artifacts in the 40's,and they were an essential formal reference to his works, in a subtle way.After couple of visits ,I asked, not knowing what to expect, if I could photograph closely some of the sculptures. I told him, they had a looming feeling in the room as  Ancestors presences,and that  they were so alive to me.

I was happy when he  agreed ,adding with a smile to take the due care when moving, holding and photographing them.

I chose several pieces that had captured my attention, and shoot details of them.The infrared film bathed the pictures, when developed, in an abstract deep blue light.