Project statement 

Disassemble Series IV, 2020.

As the fourth generation of a family of portrait photographers, my work seeks new meanings in portraiture, a new purpose by capturing an energy and internal consciousness influenced by the diverse cultural heritages from across Mexico. I also embed into portraits physical elements that have been used in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times, together with objects from Mexican daily life.

My great-grandfather opened his first studio in 1917 in Mexico City and since then, for more than 100 years, my relatives portrayed their subjects with a talent and a unique style to approach people and bring to light their souls and their feelings. This made them have a quality of “indispensable” among popular figures, thanks to the news media, while at the same time becoming the keepers of stories for countless families in Mexico.

Although my artistic practice is essentially different than the commercial practice which was handed down to me, my approach to portraiture as a visual artist is profoundly inspired by them and their work. I myself worked for many years in professional photography using that technique. For three years now, however, I’ve been interested in creating new meanings for portraiture, deconstructing and constructing images in a life project series named Disassemble.