Behind the Mask, a photo exhibit featuring the profile and spirit of the Nicaraguan people, was created to celebrate the 35th anniversary of one of Wisconsin's best kept secrets - Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Inc. W/NP assembled the rich and diverse cross-cultural collection of images to give you and your community a glimpse into the life of the people of Nicaragua and to help Wisconsin citizens learn about Nicaragua, Wisconsin's partner country.
The Photographs
The images in the exhibit were captured by photographer Wade Britzius of Galesville, Wisconsin, long-time member of Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Inc. Wade was in Nicaragua for three weeks, supported by a travel grant through Partners of the Americas, Inc. and the U.S. Information Agency.
The goal of the trip was to see the various regions of the country and to photograph a wide variety of life as it presented itself in the whirlwind tour. Staying in the homes of people that he encountered while traveling from the Pacific coast to the eastern seaboard provided unique opportunities not afforded to usual tourist travelers. These homestays introduced a variety of situations and people, creating exciting opportunities for documentary photography.
The focus of this experience was to capture the pulse of everyday life and help promote the mission of Partners. The four themes of the exhibit, 'The Spirit of a People,' 'Faces of Nicaragua,' 'Through Work, Dignity,' and 'Our Country, Land, Place,' underscore the dignity of day-to-day living under very different cultural and economic realities. The photographs convey information about the Nicaraguan culture in a uniquely convincing and emotionally involving way.
The images were shot on 35mm film. The display panels were digitally printed, mounted, and laminated by Burne Photo Imaging, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin. The quotations from Nicaraguan literature were researched and translated by Miguel Luna, a Nicaraguan currently living in Madison.
The Photographer
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Wade Britzius works as Executive Director of Trempealeau County Community Television in Whitehall, Wisconsin. He has been a student and practitioner of photography since 1969. His main interest has always been in the documentary style, having participated over the years in many projects and exhibits. His photos of the 1980s' U.S. farm crisis have been published nationally. Wade has received a Wisconsin Arts Board grant to document seniors who have lived their lives in one geographic location. He participated in a two-year project documenting western Wisconsin, specifically Trempealeau County, where he has lived for thirty years. He is a major contributor to the Iron Range Documentation Project in northern Minnesota. In 1997, he produced a video for the partnership about the Maternal & Child Survival Project in the Rivas area of southern Nicaragua. His most recent work for Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Inc. has been the production of videos documenting partnership activities.
