Graciela Iturbide: Photographing Mexico | ART21 "Exclusive"

[Graciela Iturbide: Photographing Mexico]

[Frida Kahlo Museum]

[ITURBIDE, SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

Ok, this is the bed where Frida slept.

And many times she would work here

which is why you have the mirror.

She then painted and looked in the mirror.

Also, the books that she liked to read.

Here we have her heroes

Mao, Marx, Stalin,

several of them are here.

Frida was part of the Communist Party.

This is a self-portrait of me

in Trotsky’s house.

It is like my shadow with all the gunshots

when they were about to kill Trotsky the first time.

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Leon Trotsky,

Jose Clemente Orozco.

They’re a very relevant part

of the history of Mexico.

We have a fantastic culture here

because Mexico opened its doors

to offer asylum to everybody.

[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

I was very close to the Communist Party years ago.

I hid people in my house. [LAUGHS]
Soldiers and such.

I’m a Leftist, I have been

close to some parties on the left

but now I think it is time for regular, civil
society

to try to fix things because

our governments unfortunately are very corrupt.

Here in Mexico there’s no work.

It’s always been like this, and this is very sad.

There’s no social equality

and it just isn’t anywhere.

I prefer to photograph the man in a more
dignified manner

independently of the injustices.

Politics are already implied

when I’m working in Mexico.

I don’t have to say “Look, what injustice!”

because it would be sensationalized.

I don’t like exotic Mexico. I detest it.

I like to live alongside the community--

live within their festivities,

go to the abduction,

go to the childbirth.

I am photographing. I try to assimilate myself
with them.

[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

I don’t want to show the people

in an objective manner, because I can’t.

In this case,

they simply wanted to show me

their powerful hands--their sacred hands.

They’re the ones that pose with such dignity.

We have such wonderful traditions--

such wonderful people.

But, it’s very sad that there is

so much social injustice

and such a difference between social classes.

We have to do something because

it’s very difficult for the people of Mexico.