In the centre of the Historical District of Mexico City, near the famous Bellas Artes Palace lies an inconspicuous treasure, possibly holding a key to the mystery of life's origins. It is here just within the gateway to the Palacio de Mineria where thousands walk by daily; unbeknownst to many of them, is an exhibit of extraordinary objects studied by scientists worldwide over the course of the last century.
Three enormous meteorites at four and half billion years of age, Chupaderos I and II and El Morito are on public display. Chupaderos I is the second most massive class of iron meteorites weighing in at some 14 tons. They were discovered in the northern desert of Mexico, shortly after the Spanish conquest, bearing no markings or inscriptions by the recently conquered civilization.
Originating as behemoths of asteroids from the depths of our solar system, they are usually blasted off course by catastrophic collisions; some having journeys with infinity are deflected to final destinations with earth. With lifespans of billions of years, these space rocks encounter a final shape shifting, rude and fiery passage through our atmosphere at speeds of 100,000 miles per hour, causing their appearance to transform dramatically. Upon entry, meteorites are superheated to thousands of degrees, their surfaces melt, boil and fragment to form beautifully sculpted features.
These ancient messengers from a different space and time are composed of elements that may in fact hold information about our primordial building blocks of life, here on earth and possibly the creation of the universe.
It wasn’t long ago, that sudden appearances of these fiery emissaries were interpreted as signs or visions for the times…any fragments found were treated as sacred power objects containing a message or connecting it’s finder with prosperity or even spiritual guidance.
Similarly in our present day, the fascination of a meteorite experience, creates a state of heightened awareness. At first, our perceptive faculties come alive, as we scan for another. Wonder and awe take us to a place of reflection. Intuitively, we contemplate our own existence, like a reminder, the flash of light announcing the time to seize the moment. Perhaps this natural reaction is inherited from our ancestral roots.
This series of photographs represents my insights and reflections upon the mindfulness experienced while spending several hours of studying, photographing, and trying to comprehend the astronomic reverence felt during the spellbinding attraction I had for these inconspicuous treasures.
All photos are taken with a Samsung Galaxy 5 for practical reasons, so as to simply blend in without any permits or professional equipment nor distractions and interruptions while maintaining a concentrated focus on the subject matter.
