[Graciela Iturbide: Photographing Mexico]
[Frida Kahlo Museum]
[ITURBIDE, SPEAKING IN SPANISH]
Ok, this is the bed where Frida slept.
And many times she would work here
which is why you have the mirror.
She then painted and looked in the mirror.
Also, the books that she liked to read.
Here we have her heroes
Mao, Marx, Stalin,
several of them are here.
Frida was part of the Communist Party.
This is a self-portrait of me
in Trotsky’s house.
It is like my shadow with all the gunshots
when they were about to kill Trotsky the first time.
Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Leon Trotsky,
Jose Clemente Orozco.
They’re a very relevant part
of the history of Mexico.
We have a fantastic culture here
because Mexico opened its doors
to offer asylum to everybody.
[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
I was very close to the Communist Party years ago.
I hid people in my house. [LAUGHS] Soldiers and such.
I’m a Leftist, I have been
close to some parties on the left
but now I think it is time for regular, civil society
to try to fix things because
our governments unfortunately are very corrupt.
Here in Mexico there’s no work.
It’s always been like this, and this is very sad.
There’s no social equality
and it just isn’t anywhere.
I prefer to photograph the man in a more dignified manner
independently of the injustices.
Politics are already implied
when I’m working in Mexico.
I don’t have to say “Look, what injustice!”
because it would be sensationalized.
I don’t like exotic Mexico. I detest it.
I like to live alongside the community--
live within their festivities,
go to the abduction,
go to the childbirth.
I am photographing. I try to assimilate myself with them.
[SOUND OF CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
I don’t want to show the people
in an objective manner, because I can’t.
In this case,
they simply wanted to show me
their powerful hands--their sacred hands.
They’re the ones that pose with such dignity.
We have such wonderful traditions--
such wonderful people.
But, it’s very sad that there is
so much social injustice
and such a difference between social classes.
We have to do something because
it’s very difficult for the people of Mexico.