Maria Bartola Mejia
Las Muchachas, 2015/2020
Estimated Value: $500

Archival pigment print
17 x 22 inches
Unframed
Edition 1/5
Signed, verso
Donated by the artist.

About the Artist:
Maria Bartola Mejia

My photographic career began in the early 1990s and it changed everything for me. As a street photographer and photo essayist, I’ve exhibited my work extensively over the years. Every creative thing I’ve done is out of love, curiosity and experimentation for doing things differently. It’s crucial to me to show visual images that are an integral part of the real human experience while adding to our understanding of the rich diversity of human cultures.

The Day of the Dead (DOTD), is one of my long-term projects. It’s an ancient & modern Mexican ritual, which has been celebrated in San Francisco’s Mission district annually since the early 1990’s. Its roots date back more than 3000 years ago, in the southern part of Mexico. Overtime, this festive holiday has evolved to acknowledge death as a part of the human experience. It is believed that on this night, the mystical barrier between the living and the dead opens up to create a space allowing for the dead spirits to awaken and come back to visit and mingle with the living in celebration of honor and remembrance of those departed. The DOTD, represents one of the universal themes of death and rebirth.

This year, I have added one of my DOTD images to SF Camerawork’s auction. It is titled “Las Muchachas” or “The Girls” in English. This image shows school girls with their two teachers. All are dressed in white allowing for artistic expression and mystic symbolism during this festival. From the very beginning, I made the decision to photograph using b&w film, simply to highlight the tone, style and mood of each image. The film negatives have been drum scanned and printed using archival pigment paper.

Website: photoartmaria.com
Instagram: @bartolamejia