About Graciela Iturbide
Graciela Iturbide is a leading figure in Mexican and international photography. She was born on the 16th of May 1942 in Mexico City (MX) and began studying cinematography at the Autonomous University of Mexico in 1969. It was during her studies that she discovered her vocation for photography. After completing her film studies, Graciela Iturbide took classes with Manuel Álvarez Bravo, a renowned photographer. Between 1970 and 1971, she became his assistant and accompanied him on various trips around Mexico. Her travels took her to Cuba, Panama and other Latin American countries, where she honed her photographic eye. She brought back images that contributed to the recognition of her art. Since then, the artist has continued her photographic peregrinations in India, Europe and Madagascar. Her photographs have won numerous awards, including the W. Eugene Smith Award and the Guggenheim Foundation Prize. Find out more about the artist, his influences, his achievements and his distinctive style in this biography. If you'd like to find out more, check out some of the books available on our e-shop.
A unique view of the world
Graciela Iturbide's black and white photographs tell stories. Through them, she captures the invisible, revealing the unsuspected behind-the-scenes of everyday life. Her images are a skilful blend of raw reality and originality. Witness to decades gone by, her photos take us back in time as well as in space.
Commissioned by Mexico's National Institute of Indigenous Peoples, she spent a period sharing the daily life of remote Mexican communities such as the Seris in the arid Sonoran desert and the Zapotecs in Juchitán. These experiences have had a profound impact on her work, enabling her to document the evolution of cultures torn between ancestral traditions and the arrival of modernity.
International recognition for Graciela Iturbide
Graciela Iturbide's talent has not gone unnoticed. Her works have travelled the world, appearing on the walls of some of the world's greatest museums. Le Hangar had the honour of presenting her work in the 2022 group exhibition Des Oiseaux (hyperlink to the page: https://www.hangar.art/des-oiseaux), highlighting her undeniable influence on photography today.
His art has been recognised through numerous photography awards since the early 1980s, including the prestigious Hasselblad Prize in 2008, the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in photography. In 2015, the World Photography Organisation also recognised his exceptional contribution to the field of photography.
The work of a lifetime
Over the years, Graciela Iturbide has built up a veritable visual treasure trove. Her books have become essential references for photography enthusiasts. Here are some of her most famous works:
Juchitán de las Mujeres, published in 1989, plunges us into the fascinating world of Zapotec women.
Los que viven en la arena, published in 1981, is the fruit of his total immersion among the Seris. A poignant account of a culture with an uncertain future.
More recently, Graciela Iturbide's Mexico (2019) offers a dizzying plunge into the artist's work. It reveals all the complexity and beauty of her native land.
Her latest project, Heliotropo 37, named after her studio in Mexico City, showcases some never-before-seen shots. Proof that Graciela Iturbide's creativity is far from dry!
Le Hangar invites you to discover some of his most memorable works, available on our e-shop. You can immerse yourself in the unique world of this artist.
Works available on our E-Shop :