Photographing Latino Life for Forty Years
For over 40 years, José Galvez has used black and
white film to create a powerful and unparalleled histo
rical record
of the Latino experience in America.
His compelling work, done with respect and pride and no pretense, captures the
beauty of daily life. For José, photographing
Latinos is not a one-time project or “current passion” but a lifelong
commitment. He photographs nothing else. He is someone whose personal
experience, love of family, and cultural knowledge have led him to capture
the Latino experience with dignity, respect, and a deep understanding
of the stories behind the images.
Humble beginnings
When Galvez was 10, he entered the building of the Arizona Daily Star carrying his shoeshine box. After that night, he was a permanent fixture in the newsroom. He bought a camera at a pawn shop in high school and inspired by his mentors at the paper, went on to major in journalism at the University of Arizona. Upon graduation he became a staff photographer at the Star. José immediately focused his lens on his home, the barrios of Tucson, and and the Mexican-American people who lived, worked, and loved there. He had his first professional exhibition when he was just 22 years old. At about the same time, José's participation in the Chicano Movement led him to see his work as a responsibility to his people.
The first Pulitzer Prize ever awarded to Mexican-Americans
Galvez moved on to the Los Angeles Times, becoming the first Mexican-American photographer on staff. In 1984, he and his Chicano colleagues on the Times won a Pulitzer Prize for a series on Latino life in southern California. He left the Times in 1992 after winning many other awards for his photographs.
The work goes on: books, exhibits, grants and studies
Galvez served as senior photo editor and contributor to Americanos, a multi-media exhibition documenting Latino life in the United States led by Edward James Olmos. In 2000, he published his first solo book, Vatos, a collaboration with esteemed poet Luis Alberto Urrea. Then, in Beloved Land, he and famed oral historian Patricia Martin explored the lives of Mexican pioneer ranchers in the American Southwest. See our book page for more info.
Galvez's photographs have been exhibited in countless museums and galleries
here and abroad, i
ncluding the Smithsonian Institution. But more often,
you’ll find his photographs in the portable exhibits he takes to schools,
libraries, fiestas, lowrider shows, and rodeos. He has spoken at dozens
of colleges and universities. See our exhibits page for a sampling of exhibits
available.
In 2004, José and his family moved to North Carolina to photograph Hispanic immigration in the South. In 2005, the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC) through the support of the Ford Foundation and JP Morgan Chase awarded him and his wife, Anne, partial funding to create the photography/oral history project “Land of Opportunity: Latino Entrepreneurs of North Carolina.”
José is more motivated than ever by his work.
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