Judges
Courtesy of
Nuria López Torres
Faces of Humanity Single
Nuria López Torres
3rd
Nuria López Torres is a Spanish documentary photographer based in Barcelona.
She focuses on topics related to the world of women, identities and human rights.
Today combines the development of their personal documentary projects with collaboration as a freelance photographer in different publications. Her works have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Terra Mater, GEO, The Sunday Post Business, Marie Claire, CNN, El País Semanal, La Vanguardia, GQ, Gatopardo, Newsweek Japan, Al-Jazeera, The Vandals Magazine, 5W Magazine, Le Monde, Vice, Esquire and Stern, mong others.
Nuria works mainly in Latin America, especially in Cuba and Mexico, although she has also worked in Iran, Morocco, Turkey and India, among other countries.
She has worked on the issue of gender identity in Spain, Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Iran.
Nuria is author of the book “Sex and Revolution in Cuba”.
Exhibitions: The Senate of the Republic of Mexico, Art Museum of Querétaro in Mexico. Museum of America in Madrid, London Photo Festival, WhiteBox Gallery Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Valid Photo Gallery - Barcelona, Hardcore Art Gallery in Miami, Cultural Centre of Spain in Lima (Peru), Spanish Cooperation Centre - Guatemala, Cultural Centre of Spain (Paraguay), Rojas Cultural Centre - Buenos Aires (Argentina), Museum of Fine Arts of Castelló de la Plana (Spain). MAC Ibirapuera Museum - Sao Paulo (Brazil),
Award: POY LATAM 2019 and 2021. Documentary Award at the Daroca International Film Festival, Kuala Lumpur International Photo Awards Portrait, Moscow International Photo Awards Photo Essay. Argazklik Photography Award Gender. LensCulture Portrait Award.
Muxes
Juchitán de Zaragoza, State of Oaxaca, Mexico
2014 - 2018
In the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in southern Mexico, and in the heart of the Zapotec culture, the Muxes are considered a third gender within society.
The Muxes are integrated into the generic organization of the community and develop socially recognized functions, both in the socio-cultural organization and within the family. The Muxes perform some very important occupations for the reaffirmation of Zapotec ethnicity. There is a peculiarly permissive attitude towards effeminacy and transvestism in this part of the state of Oaxaca.
Some Zapotec mothers educate their sons in traditionally feminine roles when they see that their son is behaving effeminately. A muxe son is an economic and emotional support for the woman. They are educated to be good workers and carers for their parents in old age. They will never leave home to form a family and always remain caring for their parents.
The figure of the Muxes and the acceptance of this third gender is intimately linked to the situation of women in the family and society in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, as well as the role they play in them. Possessing a certain economic and social independence makes the weight of the feminine universe legitimise the muxes, and their figure within society.