A mother laughing with her baby. A man carrying water bins down a dusty road. Little kids watching armed soldiers.
These photographs, along with others displayed at the ASU Art Museum, give students a glimpse of the desperate conditions and the contrasting elite society the has pervaded Mexico for the past 20 years.
The exhibit "Araceli Herrera: Mexico Through the Lens" takes the viewer to different parts of the country and showcases many aspects of the culture in 19 black-and-white photographs.
The photographs depict important events from the last two decades in Mexico through the eyes of a female photojournalist.
Herrera "depicts a lot of different parts of Mexico and accentuates the lives the real people have," said Wei Meng Foo, a photography graduate student.
The exhibits were organized by Miriam Haddu, a lecturer in Hispanic studies at the University of London. The ASU Art Museum officials teamed with the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing staff to bring the exhibit to campus.
The Piper Center is "the pocketbook that made this possible," said Laura Stewart, curator of education at the museum.
"We jumped at the chance to have this exhibit because we are aware of the demographics here [in the surrounding community]," said Stewart.
Since the exhibit involves many different aspects of art, all students will be able to enjoy it, Stewart said.
The collection attracts art and creative writing students, but because of the medium and subject, other majors are interested, Stewart said.
Even if their degree has nothing to do with the exhibit, "students that are interested in broadening their cultural horizons should drop in," Stewart said.
The exhibit is a "cool" concept said Sara Cho, a philosophy major. Although Cho is "not a huge" art fan, she said the cultural aspect would make her want to see the exhibit.
Kristin Wardian, a senior photography major said she thinks journalism students will be more inclined to visit the exhibit since it's by a photojournalist.
Along with the photographs, students can attend a film screening, a poetry reading and a reception hosted by both Herrara and Haddu.
The exhibit is on display until Oct. 8.
Reach the reporter at amanda.m.gonser@asu.edu.
