Celebrating Latin American photography in NYC
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by Tatiana Fernández Geara (main image)
The South Bronx neighbourhood of Melrose is a bustling, working-class melting pot, populated – predominantly – by members of New York’s Latino community.
So, when it came to selecting a location for NYC’s first ever Latin American Foto Festival, presented by the Bronx Documentary Center, the residential area (which was first incorporated into the city as a sleepy, German-American village back in the 19th century) always felt like the perfect choice.
From July 12th, 2018, the buildings, parks and sidewalks of Melrose will play host to a number of different instillations, transforming the neighbourhood into one vast, immersive gallery, showcasing the work of some of Latin America’s most exciting photographers.
A family harvesting coca leaves in the town of Santa Rosa, Peru, July 28, 2012.
In the sacred valley of the Incas to cultivate coca plants it is legal as long as farmers sell it or buy it from ENACO (National Coca Enterprise), something farmers don’t entirely agreed with, since the company fixes the prices and buys coca leaves at low rates. Also, the leaves can not be brought outside the valley. © Carlos Villalon
For Michael Kamber – co-founder of the Bronx Documentary Center and co-curator of the festival along with Cynthia Rivera – it’s an overdue celebration of stories that can often go neglected.
“New York has a large and growing Latino population. NYC Latinos have close connections with countries all over the Caribbean and Latin America,” he explains.
“Having photographers from the region visit New York and show work on important social issues will help to inform New Yorkers as well as maintain ties and create understanding.”
Calling on photographers from across seven different countries, the festival seeks to encompass as much of the Latin American experience as possible. If it’s a success, Kamber adds, the plan is to expand the scope even further next year.
Carmen Petzey, 16-years-old © Carmen Petzey / Fotokids Guatemala
“Llano” is an epic 10-year journey along the paths of the Llaneros, a people who live and travel along the savannas of the Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela © Juanita Escobar
Featuring the likes of Erika P. Rodriguez, Sharon Castellanos and Mauricio Palos (to name just a few), the festival covers subject matter that ranges from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, to the violent persecution that journalists face in Mexico.
“The BDC wants the Latin American Foto Festival to help create cultural bonds and exchanges between New York residents and their counterparts throughout the Caribbean and Latin America,” Kamber adds.
“We believe this will be the beginning of creative relationships and ‘intercambios’ for both adults and teenagers in our programs here at the BDC.”
Loma de Cabrera, Dajabón – Nov. 9, 2014: Elena Julienne walks from her house to her stand to sell artisan products, including milk fudge, toasted cashew nuts, and coconut sweets. Originally from Haiti, Julienne is married to a Dominican man and has been selling sweets by this road for 14 years. © Tatiana Fernández Geara
Collapsed abandoned building on top a car left by hurricane Maria ravaged the island in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, P.R., Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. Maria landed as a category 4 storm early Wednesday leaving the entire American territory without power and mostly with out communications © Erika P. Rodriguez
© Misha Vallejo
© Francesca von Rabenau O’Reilly,
For more information on the festival, visit the Bronx Documentary Center website.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
How Japan revolutionised art & photography in the ’60s and ’70s
From Angura to Provoke — A new photobook chronicles the radical avant-garde scene of the postwar period, whose subversion of the medium of image making remains shocking and groundbreaking to this day.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Artifaxing: “We’ve become so addicted to these supercomputers in our hands”
Framing the future — Predominantly publishing on Instagram and X, the account is one of social media’s most prominent archiving pages. We caught up with the mysterious figure behind it to chat about the internet’s past, present and future, finding inspiration and art in the age of AI.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The lacerating catharsis of body suspension in Hong Kong
Self-Ferrying — In one of the world’s most densely packed cities, an underground group of young people are piercing their skin and hanging their bodies with hooks in a shocking exploration of pain and pleasure. Sophie Liu goes to a session to understand why they partake in the extreme underground practice.
Written by: Sophie Liu
What we’re excited for at SXSW 2026
Austin 40 — For the festival’s 40th anniversary edition, we are heading to Texas to join one of the biggest global meetups of the year. We’ve selected a few things to highlight on your schedules.
Written by: Huck
Wu-Tang Clan forever, and ever
The Final Chamber — RZA, the spiritual leader of one of the most important hip hop groups of all time explains why they won’t rest until their legacy is secured.
Written by: Yoh Phillips
