Phyllis Galembo: Mexico, Masks & Rituals

by Phyllis Galembo (Photographs), Sergio Blanco (Contributor), George Otis (Contributor)

Since 1985, photographer Phyllis Galembo has traveled extensively to photograph sites of ritual dress in Africa and the Caribbean. In her latest body of work, collected in this new publication, Galembo turns to Mexico, where she captures cultural performances with a subterranean political edge. Using a direct, unaffected portrait style, Galembo captures her subjects informally posed but often strikingly attired in traditional or ritualistic dress.

Masking is a complex tradition in which the participants transcend the physical world and enter the spiritual realm. Masks, costumes and body paint transform the human body and encode a rich range of political, artistic, theatrical, social and religious meanings on the body. In her vibrant color photographs, Galembo highlights the artistry of the performers, how they use materials from their immediate environment to morph into a fantastical representation of themselves and an idealized vision of a mythical figure. In a gorgeous, fascinating photographic survey of Mexico’s masking practices, Galembo captures her subjects suspended between past, present and future, with their religious, political and cultural affiliations—their personal and collective identifications—displayed on their bodies.

Photographer Phyllis Galembo (born 1952) received her MFA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1977, and was Professor in the Fine Arts Department of SUNY Albany from 1978 to 2018. A 2014 Guggenheim Fellow, Galembo has photographs in numerous public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library. Her photographs of ritual masks in Africa, the Diaspora and beyond have been the subject of several monographic publications, including Maske (Aperture, 2016).

Genres: Photography, Art, Travel, History, Nonfiction

196 pages, Hardcover

Published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea syncretism was so rooted in the small villages of Mexico! This book is halting and beautifully shocking: beautiful photographs that show how Christianity and native beliefs have mixed into a haunting world of portals that open when festivals are celebrated. The photography really enhances the book because it is so vibrant.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly important and valuable documentation of Mexico's cultural heritage. Beautifully framed with concise but insightful descriptions.

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a Best of the Best for the month of October, 2019, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet / Stevo's Nobel Ideas. You can find me at http://forums.delphiforums.com/stevo1, on my Stevo's Novel Ideas Amazon Influencer page (https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747), on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Stevo4747), on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brocksteve/) or search for me on Google for many more reviews and recommendations.

[Brian Hutzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sturdy, handsome book filled with stunning full-color photos. The costumes and masks really pop out! The minimal text is helpful and accessible. I read this to prepare myself for an exhibit of Mexican masks that goes on display in just a few days at a museum where I work. I’m sure I’ll be referring to this book frequently over the coming weeks, as this is a culture with which I am unfamiliar. It is going to take some time to become conversant with the Spanish terminology that is new to me. (Actually, now that I think about it, a concise glossary would be welcome and appropriate in a book like this.)