Graciela Iturbide

Graciela Iturbide, born in 1942 in Mexico City, is a renowned Mexican photographer whose career has significantly shaped the realm of contemporary photography. Initially aspiring to be a film director, Iturbide enrolled in the Centro de Estudios Cinematográficos at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in 1969. However, her artistic trajectory shifted when she was inspired by the legendary Mexican modernist photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo, for whom she became an assistant from 1970 to 1971, accompanying him on extensive photographic expeditions across Mexico.

In 1978, Iturbide received a pivotal commission from the Ethnographic Archive of the National Indigenous Institute of Mexico, prompting her to document the lives of the Seri Indians. Her work in this area laid the groundwork for her exploration of indigenous cultures. The following year, she was invited by artist Francisco Toledo to photograph the people of Juchitán, further enriching her portfolio. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Iturbide traveled to diverse locations including Cuba, East Germany, India, Madagascar, Hungary, Paris, and the United States, creating numerous significant bodies of work that reflect her deep engagement with cultural themes.

Today, Graciela Iturbide continues to reside and work in Mexico City, where she remains a vital figure in the world of photography, celebrated for her evocative images that capture the essence of Mexican life and identity.