Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide has been awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Art. The award recognizes her five-decade career documenting the socio-cultural evolution of Mexico and Latin America. Iturbide's work transcends conventional art boundaries, capturing the essence of communities in transition.
Iturbide is known for her sensitivity to ancestral cultures and her ability to reveal the fragility and resilience of age-old traditions. Her black and white photographs explore the interaction between nature and culture. She also explores the symbolic dimension of landscapes and everyday objects.
Her renowned works include her 1979 photographic record of the Seri Indians of the Sonoran Desert and her series on Frida Kahlo's bathroom in Coyoacán. Iturbide has also documented communities in Panama, Madagascar, and Cuba. Her work has been exhibited at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Barbican Art Gallery.
Iturbide's award highlights the growing importance of Latin American photography in the global art scene. Her selection represents recognition of photography as an artistic discipline. It also recognizes her social and cultural documentation.
The Princess of Asturias Awards will continue over the next three weeks. Awards will be given in Sports, Concordia, Scientific and Technical Research, and International Cooperation.