GRACIELA ITURBIDE Eyes to Fly With

C/O Berlin presents the first major retrospective of Graciela Iturbide (b. 1942, Mexico) in Berlin, taking an in-depth look at the oeuvre of one of the leading voices in contemporary photography. Developed in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition includes iconic series along with pictures that have rarely if ever been presented, tracing the development of the artist’s photographic practice that has helped to shape the image of Mexico and its people for over five decades.

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Iturbide’s work explores the often intimate relationships between identity, ritual, and society. Her sensitive manner of approaching the people and communities that are the subjects of her images results in the poetic quality of her documentation. The exhibition’s title Eyes to Fly With finds inspiration in the title of one of her self-portraits and refers, on a metaphorical level, to Iturbide’s understanding of photography as a means of exploring both herself and the world, one that is liberating and opens up new perspectives.

One central theme of the exhibition is the depiction of women and their role in society. In Juchitán de las Mujeres, her series about the Zapotec people in Juchitán, Oaxaca, Iturbide portrays a social structure in which women occupy major economic and public positions, in this way challenging gender stereotypes. Her photographs evince a range of gender identities. This project exemplifies her interest in female autonomy and cultural diversity.

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