Exhibit
Photography by Paula Ramirez
Resistance: Origin & Gender in the Zapatista Movement
LUPE Arte Exhibitioner
Paula Ramirez
Paula Ramirez is an artist and photographer based in Los Angeles. Her photography focuses on Latin America - Mexico and Cuba - and encompasses a diverse range of subjects, from social and political struggles to intimate reflections of daily life. She has built an extensive body of work chronicling the Zapatista uprising that emerged in Chiapas, Mexico, from its beginnings in 1994 to the present day.
Upon seeing HUNDREDS of
women
men
young and old
elderly
boys and girls
BAREFOOT - the poorest and most forgotten of the Earth...
with their faces covered with balaclavas and bandanas, holding a branch signifying a weapon, with a huge dignity, saying...
'WE'RE HERE WE ARE, WE EXIST!'
...moves in me the DEEPEST feelings...
It RIPS tears of joy and sadness
it WRINGS my heart
but most importantly
it INSPIRES and fills me with HOPE
It makes me see that all is not lost...
- Paula Ramirez
The participation of women has always been fundamental in all aspects of the struggle for freedom, democracy and justice worldwide. The prominence of women in the Zapatista Army for National Liberation (EZLN) is unquestionable - from its origins in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, to the present day. The Compañeras have been a fundamental part of the organizational efforts within their indigenous communities of Chiapas as well as participants in the worldwide fight for women's rights.
With the photographs in this collection, Paula has documented some of the most relevant events in the Zapatista movement's history, captured glimpses into the daily lives of women in Zapatista communities, and gathered intimate portraits of their supporters.
