Lourdes Grobet passed away; her rebellious lens captured the deep Mexico of the capital

The artist Lourdes Grobet (1940-2022) dedicated herself to photographing peasant and indigenous theater for four decades. With her lens she discovered the deep Mexico cited in wrestling, which she defined as meeting of two bodies with a choreography.

The creator, who also did work for theater, film and video, died yesterday at the age of 81 in Mexico City, confirmed her children Alejandra, Xavier, Ximena and Juan Cristóbal through her Facebook account.

“We share with you that our dear mom, Lourdes Grobet, has embarked on her galactic journey beyond the Bering Strait, today, Friday, July 15, 2022.

With the free, fun and full spirit that has always characterized her, and hand in hand with her constant companion Vampiro de la Guarda, we want to say goodbye to her tomorrow, Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., in the Los Angeles Room, to Who wants to join us?

The general director of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (Inbal), Lucina Jiménez López, dedicated a message to the documentary maker: “You have taken flight towards that other freedom, where the souls of the Santo, Katy Horna, Aceves Navarro, migrants and women who have worked for their rights and those of others have transited. You will continue to be present in their struggles, in art”.

Much of his work is characterized by transgression, humor and provocation.

The photographer never considered herself an orthodox and traditional portraitist, rather she was concerned with living her historical moment.

His works are related to contemporary painting. She was a student of the artists Mathias Goeritz, Gilberto Aceves Navarro and Kati Horna, among others.

In an interview with this newspaper, Grobret recalled that thanks to the fact that her mother did not want her to enroll in San Carlos, she was fortunate that her family sent her “to the Ibero, with the parents”.

“The Ibero-American University turned out to be the best place, because Mathias Goeritz was there, who was trying to create an anti-academy and put an end to the stagnant and old processes of Greek academic study.

We had the best teachers in Mexico. Kati Horna taught the photography class that, for the first time, was located within the plastic artsreferred on that occasion the photographer (The Day, 13/5/5).

Today there will be a farewell ceremony for the documentary filmmaker at the legendary Los Angeles Hall. Miguel Nieto Alcántara, administrator of that venue, lamented the death of the photographer, whom he defined as woman whose work should be known for its contribution to the cultural life of the country and the world. In the image, the artist’s self-portrait captured in 1975.Photo courtesy of Ximena Pérez Grobet

Regarding her interest in wrestling, the teacher explained on several occasions that through this sport she managed to understand Mexico. With her camera, she captured the magic of passionate encounters. She portrayed the fighters in the arenas and delved into the private lives of those idols, in their homes, in their meeting places and in the celebrations of the historical gladiators of the ring.

the author of the book wrestling show (Trilce Ediciones, 2005) once argued that If the peasant theater showed us the deep Mexico in the countryside, wrestling shows the deep Mexico in the city.

For her, the fights were a ritual full of energy, playful, fun and cathartic. Through the struggles I have learned about this country; I have discovered a Mexico that I did not know, the roots that the culture of struggle has (The Day, 11/6/6).

Just a week ago, he was awarded the Fine Arts Medal in recognition of his career and legacy to photographic art in Mexico, in a tribute organized by the federal Ministry of Culture and Inbal, at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex. The book was also presented at that event. Peasant and Indigenous Theater Laboratory: Half a century of history and a homonymous exhibition was inaugurated.

Lourdes Grobet’s artistic output was as versatile as it was diverse. There are dozens of projects and hundreds of works of hers that she completed in her long career. Her work is, according to the artist Víctor Muñoz, a vast and complex workwhich includes installations, actions, photography, objects, film and video.

The funeral of Lourdes Grobet will be held this Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in the Los Angeles Hall (Lerdo 206, Colonia Guerrero).

Miguel Nieto Alcántara, administrator of that legendary venue, lamented the death of the photographer, whom he defined as a woman whose work should be known for her contribution to the cultural life of the country and the world.

Nieto explained that this Saturday at the Los Angeles Hall It will not be a party or a dance, but a meeting of friends to say goodbye to a friend. A tribute to Lourdes and a moment to give her children a hug.

He added that the funeral they are to remember a woman who lived as she wanted and leaves us an important legacy.