Raúl Ortega wins award for his series “Bailarinas”

Photo © Raúl Ortega

The Mexican photographer Raúl Ortega received the Great award in the festival of documentary photography “Santiago Álvarez in Memoriam” that took place in Santiago the Cuba. His series has according to the international jury “una fuerte unidad temática, manejo en su originalidad, calidad estética y buen uso de la técnica fotográfica, con un lenguaje visual directo y testimonial”.

And dear reader I will continue to quote from the Spanish language:

Graciela Iturbide : “Conozco desde hace tiempo su trabajo, es un fotógrafo excelente y el mejor representante de la fotografía mexicana”

Francisco Mata Rosas : “Raúl decidió en un trabajo contundente por lo sólido de su estética, por lo maduro y a la vez inquieto de su ojo, referirse a las que durante siglos han sido el centro de muchas historias, las trabajadoras del sexo, las putas dirían clásicos como García Márquez. Coqueteando con el neo documentalismo Ortega logra que nos contagiemos de esa sensibilidad, de esa textura del neón, de esa frialdad de las pieles y sobre todo de esos ojos que nos invitan a escuchar en el silencio lo que tienen que contar.

- From Boletin del Gran Premio Internacional de Documentación "Santiago Alvarez" in memoriam

Web site of the festival

Raúl Ortega was born in Mexico City in 1963. He has been a professional photographer since the age of 23, working for La Jornada from 1986-2000 and as an editor of its supplement Foto from 1998-2000. He has also worked with news agencies like Reuters, Associated Press, and Associated Foreign Press.

Ortega has exhibited his photos domestically and internationally in approximately 60 individual and group shows. Ortega's images have been published in books, periodicals, and newspapers and are found in museums and private collections.

I had the pleasure to invite Raúl some years ago to The F Blog. I am very glad to hear the news about the award since I regard Raúl Ortega as one of the most important photographers of today, not only in Mexico. Humanity, human conditions and human rights are universal. Congratulations! - Mr Urbano

To celebrate Raúl's award I will republish a story from Chiapas region of Mexico here on 591 Photography in the coming days.

Francisco Mata Rosas on 591 Photography
Graciela Iturbide on 591 Photography.