In 2006, Artes de Mexico, the Mexican book publishing company that also edits an art review of the same name, decided to create a new collection devoted to photography books. “Luz Portátil”, literally “Portable light” will promote the discovery of “Contemporary Mexican photographers, working either in their country, or abroad, with a different approach of reality”. To reach this objective, Pedro Tzontémoc, director of this collection, asks them to portray a subject or develop an idea in the form of a “photographic essay”.

So far the collection has published 16 pictures of 16 photographers, which form the core of this exhibition. The original exhibition, presented for the very first time in the Annual Festival “Lettres d’Autome” in Montauban, showcased also 4 additional pictures by each photographer, to the above mentioned work. The exhibition has been conceived in the context of the event “Eloge de l’ailleurs” (Praise from elsewhere), paying tribute to the writer Alberto Ruiz Sanchez, associate director alongside with Margarita de Orellana in the “Artes de Mexico” publishing company. She gathers books and photographs from Pablo Aguinaco with “El color del tiempo” (The color of time), Alicia Ahumada, “El bosque erotizado” (The erotized forest), Lourdes Almeida “Lo que el mar me dejo” (What the sea left me), Yolanda Andrade “A través del cristal” (Through the glass), Lorenzo Armandáriz, Gabriel Figueroa Flores, “Lugares prometidos” (Promised places), Cristina Kahlo, Jorge Lépez Vela “Mar Urbe”, Maritza Lopez “Labyrinths”, Gala Narezo, “Locales” (Locales), José Antonio Martinez, “Todo angel es terrible” (Every angel is terrible), Adrian Mendieta, “Hojas sueltas” (Flying leaves), Gerardo Montiel Klint, Gala Narezo, Tatiana Parcero, “Cartografias” (Cartographies), Pedro Tzontémoc “L’être et le néant” (Being and nothingness) , Jorge Vértiz “Cielo y tierra” (Heaven and Earth).

The catalogue of this exhibition recaptures in detail the contributions by the photographers alongside a text by Alberto Ruiz Sánchez.

Bernard Perrine
Correspondent for Institut de France

bernard.perrine1@orange.fr

Portable Light
March 4th – April 28th
Maison de l’Amérique latine
217 Bd Saint Germain
75007 Paris