Surreal shots of sex, death and mysticism in Mexico
- Text by Miss Rosen
- Photography by Pieter Hugo, Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery, New York

At the invitation of curator Francisco Berzunza, South African photographer Pieter Hugo arrived in Mexico to work on a new exhibition. The project, originally titled Hacer Noche (‘Crossing Night’), was set to be a visual exploration of sex and death in the country.
The commission quickly became an obsession for the artist. Between 2018-19, Hugo made four month-long trips to Mexico to create a collection of captivating portraits that combine mysticism, beauty, humour and horror. The result was La Cucaracha, an exhibition which is now on view at New York’s Yossi Milo Gallery.
“I wanted the work to stay true to a Mexican aesthetic and make pictures that have an original and authentic voice,” Hugo says. Drawing upon the understanding that tragedy is a pervasive fact of life, Hugo embraces the anarchic and surreal sides of Mexican life.

Pieter Hugo. Muxe portrait #3, Juchitán de Zaragoza, 2018

Pieter Hugo. Zapata and Adelita, Mexico City, 2019
Here, subjects appear as Don Quixote, a snake charmer, a blood-soaked pugilist and an undercover police officer disguised as a sex worker. Tender images of a girl on her First Communion appear alongside sensitive portraits of ‘Muxes’ – the Zapotec culture’s term for transgender women.
Hugo handles the subject of death with equal reverence. “The narco-state is a dark current that permeates all aspects of Mexican culture,” Hugo says. “Google ‘narco murders’ and you’ll get a sense of the vulgar morbidity and performative rituals committed – the signals these murders try and send to society. If one juxtaposes this with the beauty of Oaxaca’s death rituals, marigolds, graveyard wakes and the life and ancestor honouring, the contradictions are very apparent.”
The exhibition title, La Cucaracha – which translates to ‘the cockroach’ – comes from a song that gained prominence during the Mexican Revolution, when rebel and government forces alike invented lyrics to comment on major political figures, the events of war, and effects on civilians.
Throughout the series, Hugo explores the paradoxes of Mexican life, examining the tensions between tradition and revolution, and the cycle of life and death.

Pieter Hugo. The snake charmer, Hermosillo, 2019

Pieter Hugo. After Siqueiros, Oaxaca de Juárez, 2018

Pieter Hugo. Burning bush, Oaxaca de Juárez, 2018

Pieter Hugo. Black Friday, Oaxaca de Juárez, 2018

Pieter Hugo. The asylum seeker, Hermosillo, 2019

Pieter Hugo. First Communion, Mexico City, 2019

Pieter Hugo. Don Quixote, Oaxaca de Juárez, 201
Pieter Hugo: La Cucaracha is on view at Yossi Milo Gallery in New York through February 29, 2020.
Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck

Tender, carefree portraits of young Ukrainians before the war
Diary of a Stolen Youth — On the day that a temporary ceasefire is announced, a new series from photographer Nastya Platinova looks back at Kyiv’s bubbling youth culture before Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion. It presents a visual window for young people into a possible future, as well as the past.

Analogue Appreciation: 47SOUL
Dualism — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s Palestinian shamstep pioneers 47SOUL.
Written by: 47SOUL
Meet the hair-raised radicals of Berlin’s noise punk scene
Powertool — In his new zine, George Nebieridze captures moments of loud rage and quiet intimacy of the German capital’s bands, while exploring the intersections between music, community and anti-establishment politics.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Amid tensions in Eastern Europe, young Latvians are reviving their country’s folk rhythms
Spaces Between the Beats — The Baltic nation’s ancient melodies have long been a symbol of resistance, but as Russia’s war with Ukraine rages on, new generations of singers and dancers are taking them to the mainstream.
Written by: Jack Styler

Uwade: “I was determined to transcend popular opinion”
What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s Nigerian-born, South Carolina-raised indie-soul singer Uwade.
Written by: Uwade

Inside the obscured, closeted habitats of Britain’s exotic pets
“I have a few animals...” — For his new series, photographer Jonty Clark went behind closed doors to meet rare animal owners, finding ethical grey areas and close bonds.
Written by: Hannah Bentley