“Y el
curioso color del colorado.”
Jorge Luís
Borges
The lazy days before Christmas (if your shopping is done
and that is the case with us), is a time for relaxation and reflection. Deeper
reflection happens in the idle days between the day after Christmas and New
Year’s Eve.
I have no idea why red is the colour of Christmas. Was that
the case before the concept of Santa Klaus came into being? I remember those
old Coca-Cola adds featuring Santa.
In Argentina we have an odd opinion on the colour red. Jorge
Luís Borges used the word colorado in this poem. Argentines, for reasons as
obscure to me as why red is the colour of Christmas, refuse to use the synonym
rojo in polite company. They say that the word is ordinary. I would only concur
that colorado is a nicer word if you want to insert it in a poem.
As I look at these Ektachromes ( a word rejected by my Word
program) with glee I can only remember what my grandmother used to say about
good times had in the past, “Nadie te quita lo bailado,” which translates something
like, “Nobody can take away from you the memories of dances you have danced in
your past.”
Katheryn came into my studio one day in the little red dress
and posed for me. Most of my pictures were in black and white. But I am glad
now that I did shoot 16 in colour.