May’s featured photographer is Koral Carballo

Koral Carballo is a Mexican photographer born in Veracruz, Mexico. She explores new visual narratives related to identity, violence and territory, in addition to expanding the frontiers of photography from journalism, visual arts and documentary photography. Among her recognitions,  Carballo received first place in the portfolio review of the Latin American Photography Colloquium organised by the Cuatro Caminos Museum Mexico (2017); Moving Walls 25 Open Society Foundation prize (2018); selected for the Biennial of the Center of the Image in Mexico (2018); selected to participate in the 7th edition of Portfolio Review The New York Times (2019); and shortlisted for Vevey Images Book Award (2019).

The Mystery of the Disguised

It is an exploration of the legend of the Coyolillo Carnival – an annual festival involving procession, music and dancing – that allegorically interested the photographer to represent the history and origin of the Afro-Mexican community in the southern region of her country. The legend tells that the first settlers of this town were black slaves brought from Congo, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast in Africa. Slaves worked in sugar cane plantations in haciendas during the 15th, 16th and 17th century. It is believed that slaves were only given a day of rest by their master once a year. Over time, this day became a Carnival, which today dates since 150 years ago.

Genaro López Zaragoza, posing in the traditional black Carnival costume. Genaro has danced in the Comparsa for 20 years. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Yeilin, granddaughter and descendant of Octavio Lopez the craftsman, chronicler and village leader. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Street intervention of a disguised in Coyolillo. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Fania Carreto, is an 88-year-old woman of grandmothers who still know the history of the Carnival that began 150 years ago in Coyolillo. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

One of the activities carried out in Coyolillo is the corn harvest, since it is part of the food base of the inhabitants. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Jair Barradas León poses for a portrait during the night tour prior to Carnival. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Jinicuiles pods used to dance at Carnival. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Yoel López Zaragoza, a young Afro-Mexican belonging to a group of young people called ” Risueños ” who fight for better education and welfare for their people. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

Octavio López Zaragoza, mask artisan from Coyolillo who has been doing his work for 40 years. A trade he learned from his father Bartolo López. From the series, The Mystery of the Disguised. ©Koral Carballo

To learn more about Koral’s projects, here

La fotógrafa del mes de Mayo es Koral Carballo

Koral Carballo es una fotógrafa mexicana nacida en Veracruz, México. Carballo explora las nuevas narrativas visuales relacionadas con la identidad, la violencia y el territorio, además de ampliar las fronteras de la fotografía desde el periodismo, las artes visuales y la fotografía documental. Entre sus reconocimientos, Carballo obtuvo el primer lugar en la revisión de portafolios del Coloquio Latinoamericano de Fotografía organizado por el Museo Cuatro Caminos de México (2017); Moving Walls 25 Premio Open Society Foundation (2018); seleccionada a la Bienal del Centro de la Imagen en México (2018); seleccionada para participar en la 7ª edición de Portfolio Review The New York Times (2019); y seleccionada para Vevey Images Book Award (2019).

El Misterio del Disfrazado

Es una exploración a la leyenda del Carnaval de Coyolillo que de forma alegórica la fotógrafa representa la historia y origen de una comunidad Afro-mestiza en el sur de México. Cuenta la leyenda, que los primeros pobladores de este pueblo fueron esclavos negros traídos de Congo, Burkina Faso y Costa de Marfil en África, quienes trabajaban en las plantaciones de caña de azúcar. Los esclavos de las haciendas surgieron en los siglos xv, xvi y xvii. La leyenda cuenta que los humanos esclavizados tenían un día de descanso que les otorgaba su amo una vez al año. Con el tiempo esta fiesta se convirtió en un Carnaval que datan los abuelos desde hace 150 años.

Para saber mas de los proyectos de Koral, aqui