Description

The result of nine trips over a period of three years, Abbas’ work in Mexico is a memorable document of a passionate adventure which reveals the contrast between an ancient country and the objects and things that proclaim the modernity of those who possess them. In Mexico – a country that was brutally conquered and then learned to mask its own culture – Abbas traveled, photographing the country as if writing a novel, and keeping a journal as if taking snapshots.

There are two ways to think about photography: one is writing with light, and the other is drawing with light

Abbas
© Abbas | Magnum Photos

Abbas was an Iranian transplanted to Paris. He dedicated himself to documenting the political and social life of societies in conflict.

In a career that spanned six decades, he covered wars and revolutions in Iran, Biafra, Bangladesh, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, the Middle East, Chile, Cuba, and South Africa during apartheid. He also documented life in Mexico over several years, and pursued a lifelong interest in religion and its intersection with society.

Most recently before his death, Abbas was working on documenting Judaism around the world. Abbas died in Paris on April 25, 2018. He was 74.

© Abbas | Magnum Photos

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