Flor Garduño: In Dreams

Drawing inspiration from her Mexican heritage and the rich tapestry of culture, landscape, and literature that surrounds her, Garduño’s photography delves deep into themes of mythology, spirituality, and the female body. Through her lens, she captures the essence of indigenous rituals, folklore, and daily life, celebrating the artistic strength of native cultures in South and Central America. At the heart of the exhibition lies Garduño’s seminal series, Witnesses of Time, which was born from her early experiences photographing rural communities for primary school textbooks. Traversing through remote villages across Mexico and beyond, Garduño immortalises the emotional character of indigenous rituals, emphasising the lyrical and poetic elements within the frame.

Another recurring theme in the photographer’s work is the exploration of liminal spaces, where human and animal, human and vegetal intertwine. She conjures images that blur the boundaries between dreams and reality, infusing her compositions with a touch of the uncanny. In her later series, Inner Light, Garduño adorns her female subjects with the strengths of various flora and fauna, creating theatrical compositions that challenge conventional notions of femininity. 

Flor Garduño’s impact extends far beyond the confines of the gallery space. With a career marked by international acclaim and prestigious accolades, including a Kodak award for Witnesses of Time, her influence resonates across the global photography community. As viewers step into her world, they are invited to embark on a visual odyssey through the realms of myth, spirituality, and the female form.