Portraiture is an important tradition in Mexico’s history that stretches back several decades.
The images below, mostly created between the 1970s and now, are part of a diverse collection of works published in the book, ‘Mexican Portraits.’
The visual book, created by photographer/editor Pablo Ortiz Monasterio and curator Vesta Mónica Herrerías, includes more than 350 portraits from over eighty anonymous and well-known Mexican photographers.
‘Mexican Portraits explores the frontiers of portraiture from various perspectives,’ the publisher’s write about their selection of photographs.
‘At the center of this wide-ranging selection are two distinct notions embedded in the history of the portrait: mask and metamorphosis.’
Below are 10 select portraits images from the book, which is available at aperture.org.
Proud fighter: The Mexican luchador and professional wrestler Blue Demon sits proudly in front of a colorful curtain (Lourdes Grobet, 1980)
Serious woman: Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo, looks sternly at the camera with her arms crossed (Guillermo Kahlo, October 16, 1932)
Domineering: A young woman pressing her heeled foot against a dead or fake alligator ashes her cigarette on the reptilian beast (Daniela Rossell, 1994-2001)
Abstract face: A woman's face is replaced by an abstract piece of artwork (Héctor Falcón, 2010)
Unique hair: A young man with a unique hair style turns his head from the camera (Stefan Ruiz, 2011)
Young traveler: A boy in the desert looks longingly at the camera as he rests his arms and leg on his bike (Carlos Somonte, 1986)
Framed portrait: This photograph shows a framed portrait of a woman wearing a lace gown (María Félix, 1945)
Comical: A comedic performer wears combs on his face to give the look of bushy eyebrows and mustache (Melquiades Herrera, 1984)
Special moment: A couple have their photograph taken in front of a mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Nacho López, 1950)
Summertime: A model sits, legs crossed eating an ice pop Magnolia (Magnolia, 1986)