Living Through Unreal Times

Having wrapped my talk at the Conference on the Image in Paris, I’ve been reflecting on the ongoing journey of The Faces of Mexico. What began as an idea has grown into something much larger, taking me back to questions I first wrestled with in my graduate thesis, Inner Self | Outer World. That early work explored identity, hybridity, and the fragile line between authenticity and construction. These concerns feel even more urgent in today’s digital age.

This project has become my way of probing truth in a time when images can be endlessly generated, manipulated, and consumed. In the past, in the studio, I’ve photographed high-end beauty portraits under precise lights and controlled conditions. But in Mexico, I’ve chosen a different path, one that strips away the polish. No elaborate setups. No tethered cameras. Just me, the subject, their story, and a glimpse into their world.

The image grid here is a work in progress, a mix of real and AI-generated portraits that may eventually become part of the installation at XPOSURE. The tension between the “real” and the “otherwise” is deliberate. It asks us to slow down, to look harder, and to question how we know what we think we know.

Every encounter this summer, every portrait, felt like a reminder of what it means to keep things real in unreal times. Faces that speak of resilience, joy, work, and dignity. Stories that carry the weight of everyday life. And in their honesty, a challenge to us as viewers: to meet them eye to eye, with care and with attention.

The project continues. It is still coming into focus, but perhaps that is the point. The search itself is part of the work. This is what it means to be living through unreal times.