Mala Muerte

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The pictures of human degradation that work are those where the photographer is totally implicated with what he photographs, not as an outsider, not as a voyeur, but as a fellow human being invited into another’s home - only then does a picture stand a good chance of success and your Mala Muerte is a fine example of how it’s done. The woman here appears as she is: merchandise to be considered, to be prodded from all sides as if cattle, to be used. Yes this is rough work, strong work, and an absolute statement of fact, unembellished and unsentimental and very well shot. It connected me with the great Diane Arbus image of a Mexican dwarf in a New York hotel room. Not the aesthetic of the comp, but the feeling, the legitimacy of the intimate atmosphere.

2666 comes to mind, frightening really.

also interesting to look at it without the tags of 'drug addict' / 'prostitute' - this is not what should make the image. it stands up anyhow. regards, Billy.

Honest,direct,no nonsense image.

THIS IS A PHOTO WITH DEPTH AND IMPACT. IT ISNT PRETTY OR FLUFFY. ITS GRITTY AND REAL AND HER FACE TELLS US EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW,,, AND SOMEHOW EVEN THRU THE UGLINESS SHE IS  ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN THAT I HAVE SEEN

this is a very powerful photo series. all the ugliness we might ascribe to this woman is actually our own which we project onto her. its sexual in a way which transcends erotica. there is no fantasy here, only gritty reality. this woman has stripped away all pretense or illusion, and her lack of modesty is balanced by her striking, piercing look. her soul is somehow intact, though we can see her pain and suffering. she accepts herself for who she is. i particularly like the two views seen together, or front and back. either by itself would not have been nearly as strong visually.

What can I say that hasn't been said, except this is social documentary photography at its hard hitting best in every sense. It shows the humanity and individual person without pretense as a person, and also what life has imprinted on these.  However, even with that, there is something indelibly untouched which shines through.  These photos make you ask the question of what kind of world, that we all create daily leaves these woman to the choices they have made or circumstances made for them.