Wendy Ewald Retratos y Sueños/ Portraits and Dreams:
Photograph by Mayan and Mexican Children
Curated by Arthur Ollman, Director, Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego
Juan Jesus Murillo "Aquí está mi prima, Miry, con calaveras y fruta del día de los muertos"; "Here is my cousin, Miry, with skulls and fruit for the Day of the Dead."
This exhibition presents 80 photographs taken by Mayan and Mexican children in Chiapas, curated by Arthur Ollman.
During her time in both rural villages and the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Ewald encouraged young students to explore their identities and communities through photography. The resulting images—portraits, self-portraits, landscapes, dreams, and fantasies—blend personal history with visual storytelling, inspired by Mayan codices. Ewald emphasizes individuality while also revealing collective experience, showing how children navigate cultural identity and tradition. The photographs are accompanied by the children's texts and Ewald’s commentary. A pioneer in participatory art, Ewald has spent over twenty years teaching photography to children worldwide, from Appalachian communities to urban India. Her projects empower youth to express emotions, fears, and dreams with startling originality and artistic control.
WORKS
80 Polaroid instant photographs in color and black & white
DIMENSIONS
8 x 10 to 20 x 24 (inches) plus two 30 x 40 (inches) murals
SPACE REQUIREMENTS
Aprox. 100 linear feet
INQUIRIES
exhibitions@curatorial.org
626.577.0044