Graciela Iturbide is a celebrated and influential Latin American photographer, whose work has promoted feminism and cultural awareness. So why on earth would any of her work condescend to appear here? In a word: iguanas.
One of her most famous photos is of Nuestra Senhora de las Iguanas, or Our Lady of the Iguanas. Yes, she's wearing a head dress of living iguanas. This is one of the few extant photos of Nuestra Senhora; the iguanas wouldn't cooperate by posing properly, so most of the other photos were scrapped.
What's fascinating about this photo (as if an iguana hat weren't enough) is that it highlights a throwback to pre-Columbian Mexico and Zapotec life. I'm very curious to know what's keeping all those iguanas in place. But maybe I'm better off knowing.
Thanks for the story, Niner.
Jan 31, 2009
Nuestra Senhora de las Iguanas
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5 comments:
that is so awesome. Does anybody wanna volunteer to dress up Medusa with a hair full of live snakes?
Maybe I'll volunteer if no one else will.
I was so relieved after I read your description. When I first saw the photo, I thought she was wearing a headdress of DEAD iguanas! That would be ugly. Wearing live iguanas, not so much. But then, I like iguanas.
It looks like they have little belts around their middles... maybe they're little harnesses?? o.0
I love this photo and the photographer. Here's a link if you want to read more about this certain photo.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/indelible-iguana-200809.html
Thank you for sharing info. of this awesome photographer! The woman is quite regal; AND she has the power make huge ornery lizards obey her will.
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