Chiapas Photography (democracy projects)

http://www.chiapasphoto.org/introe.html

The Indigenous Photography Archive is an artistic project by and for indigenous photographers in Chiapas. AFI has four main activities: education, collection, outreach, and research.

Education: LOK´TAMAYACH directs most of the educational activities, which begin with basic instruction about camera use and continue with a program of workshops to improve technique and develop individual projects.

Collection: The base of the collection, which is housed at AFI, is made up of the photographers’ negatives, with approximately 75,000 images, the majority of which are color, with a growing area of black and white work. The photographers are not only forming this collection for their present-day communities, but so that their descendants will have their own visual history. Among the many themes are portraits, food, and fiestas.

Outreach: Activities include exhibitions and publications as well as slide presentations and panel discussions.

Research: The indigenous photographers as well as many international, outside researchers consult AFI’s collection and frequently request permission to use images for academic ends – books, theses, articles, videos, etc.