Motivation is that wind that links us to an idea or project in a deep and intense way; it moves us to develop it in an authentic and personal way. When the artist feels that illusion, that internal wind impels him to connect with another reality as if it were his own, identifying himself from the depths of his being, transcending and connecting with others. This is precisely what I felt when I first arrived at the Casa Hogar de la Niña in Oaxaca, a gentle wind ruffled my hair and soul... On February 19, 2015, with a camera in my hand and a 20-kilo backpack on my back, I arrived by chance at a home in need of support. I instantly connected in a very special way with the girls; their curiosity, vulnerability, energy and joy in the face of adversity became bonds that united us forever. At that moment I knew that inspiration can be born from a gust of wind to lead us to want to create like we had never done before.
From that inspiration, a photographic project was born with which I could help in a sustainable way those girls from Oaxaca, my favorite city in Mexico, and from the memory of my beloved teacher, Mary Ellen Mark, who also loved Oaxaca and helped me find Casa Hogar.
With this project, I question the idea that a home is a sad place where there is only drama. What I find is a joyous place where girls receive the love and care of their dependants. A house in which, beyond the circumstances of each one, air blows in which creativity, laughter, learning and adventures are mixed.
Girls are magical, powerful, special, capable of making things turn into something unexpected and incredible. They accept complex situations more naturally than many adults, knowing how to turn things around.
Since the birth of this adventure, I was very interested in ensuring that honest, innocent, vulnerable and full of vitality connection was reflected in each of his images. Because, even if everyone does their own reading, something always comes to us that the artist wants to share with us. Girls have that spontaneity with which we connect that, sometimes, we lose adults. They remind us that we must never forget our essence and authenticity.
From the first moment I felt that, although apparently they had nothing, they were giving me everything. Until today, when I remember the time I spent with them, I feel that something is moving inside me and I hope from humility to have been able to transmit it. Feel his wind. Thank you.
Many of the images in this book (others are unpublished) have been part of the artist's solo or group exhibitions in Mexico, the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom.
2024
● “I dry my hair in the wind” project selected by Head On for its international exhibition in Sydney, November 2024
● “I dry my hair in the wind” project selected by the Imagem Encontros festival in Braga, Portugal in September 2024
https://encontrosdaimagem.com/2024/
● “I dry my hair in the wind” project, winner of the silver prize for the Paris Photo Prize, August 2024
https://px3.fr/winners/px3/2024/14444/
2023
● Project published by Dodho Magazine in its 24th issue
https://www.dodho.com/shop/magazine/issue-24-print-edition-dodho-magazine/
2022
● 6 images and the book with 80 images presented at Estampa, October 2022
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjc9xFjDzB1/