Immigrants from Mexico and Latin America living in the United States are often perceived as distrustful. The portraits of Jose Ibarra Rizo, an immigrant, show people with pride and dignity, revealing a strong sense of identity. His series, Somewhere in Between, tells the utterly human story of the migrant community in Georgia. 

Jose Ibarra Rizo immigrated as a seven-year-old boy to the US from Mexico with his mother to be with his father, who lived in Gainesville, Georgia. “Gainesville is the poultry capital of the world. Many immigrants from Latin America, particularly Mexican immigrants, came from California before the 1996 Olympics after hearing about the construction work available and the poultry industry here in Gainesville. Since arriving in Georgia, my parents have only worked in poultry factories here in Gainesville.”

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The push to reclaim their image motivated me to want to do the same within my community.

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In the past decade, there has been a large influx of Central American immigrants in Georgia. Ibarra Rizo is interested in documenting how new and old immigrants occupy space, adapt to an environment, and celebrate their culture. “Early on, we were encouraged to assimilate. But now, the youth want to celebrate their culture like never before, whether Mexican-American, Honduran-American, or Guatemalan-American. They are proud of their culture. There's this beautiful publication called The New Black Vanguard, which was a push from black photographers to reclaim their image. The push to reclaim their image motivated me to want to do the same within my community.”

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Human beings

‘Immigrant’ carries a negative connotation in media and politics. The meaning of the word needs a visual nuance. Seeing the portraits of Jose Ibarra Rizo, you feel the pride of the subjects. Naturally, the photographer shows the inner value of the people. “My work entails responding to what's happening. An example is the portrait of the rose grower, the gentleman with flowers in the background. I was heading to work one day and had my cameras with me when I saw him. I thought it was beautiful how he was spending his retirement tending to these roses and how that contradicts everything you hear about the masculinity of Mexican men. We're all just human beings, right? I saw so much beauty in that image that I just hopped out of my car. I talked to him briefly about my project. He hesitated but soon allowed me to take a few photographs.”

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The history of immigration in the United States is complex and full of misconceptions. For Ibarra Rizo, humanity is the theme of his series. “I think a lot about who has the right to live on the land. We're all somehow immigrants. People choose to travel to different places to improve their lives. That's a very human desire and need. I try using my portraits to remind the viewer that we are human. The word immigrant is often used as a political ploy to either gain votes or to provoke resentment in certain groups against us. People always want to point a finger at someone for economic reasons. Ultimately, we're just people. We're the true embodiment of what it means to be American. To be American means freedom and the pursuit of happiness.”

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Skaters

Some of the portraits show young skaters on a field. They stand firm and look proud in the lens. One of them has written ‘Fuck Donald Trump’ on his skateboard. “There's a level of comfort and safety for them to celebrate their culture. The youth need to understand their roots because they are the future of America. The social tapestry is becoming more diverse in our history. It's important to understand and celebrate that we have cultural differences. That's what makes this melting pot that is America.”

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Posing portraits 

Jose Ibarra Rizo lets the people pose for the portraits with little direction and settings. “I like to celebrate the individual through my portraits. Making portraits is a collaborative effort. I'm not just walking around with a camera, taking pictures of people without them noticing. I first have a conversation and then ask if they want to work with me in telling our story. I want to show the complexity and nuance of the world. So, I create a level of comfort that allows my subjects to show themselves as they are, with pride and realness. That's key to me.”

Identity and Land 

There is an image of a boy and a girl standing in nature, holding each other. The girl has a determined look, expressing a strong sense of identity. “This image is important in the series because it speaks about the South. I like the idea of my subjects touching the land because there's an entire conversation about who belongs there. In Georgia, particularly in Gainesville, there are several lakes. And I had this image envisioned, even though I rarely stage a photo. I want to make a diversity of portraits to give a wider image of what our experience looks like. I know Karim, the young man in the photo, from playing soccer with him. His sense of fashion represents that cultural blend of African and Mexican culture in the South and all across America. I asked them if they would work with me on making this intimate couple portrait by the lake.”

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Documentary Portraiture

Why is portraiture an apt tool for Ibarra Rizo to tell his story? “I have a degree in drawing and painting, and I used to paint portraits. There has always been this need and desire for me to tell stories through portraits. When I transitioned to photography, I continued through that route. I found that the medium of photography allowed me to tell these stories much faster and have a certain control I didn't have with painting. I think the portrait can let you see the humanity in people. If you do it right, it becomes very intense and very personal. What I love about portraiture is that it enables you to break barriers and bridges.”

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On film

The portraits are all photographed on film, which gives them an authentic character. “I'm self-taught in photography. Most of what I've learned has been through YouTube. That’s how I learnt film photography. I photograph my portraits on six-by-seven negatives with a Mamiya RZ67. I use a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. Some portraits are made in colour, and others in black and white. The reason for taking black and white is to create less distraction of colours. Sometimes, colours distract from the intention of the portrait. I often photograph with both, and I feel out what makes the most sense for the subject or subject matter.”

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Inspiration 

The work of Jose Ibarra Rizo takes inspiration from contemporary photographers such as Deana Lawson, Guadalupe Rosales, and the late Louis Carlos Bernal. The works of Lawson and Rosales show where photography is heading. That is why Ibarra Rizo is inspired by their work. For Ibarra Rizo, Louis Carlos Bernal is a reference point that inspires and guides him in making intimate portraits within his community.  

But even though Ibarra Rizo sees the advantage of being a part of the community you photograph, he doesn’t see it as a prerequisite. “It all comes down to respect. You should approach your subjects at a human level and give them the respect they deserve. There have been plenty of successful examples of people who come from other cultures and document our culture. I think sometimes that separation can be an advantage when creating images. But I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't my experience. It all stems from me wanting to showcase some of my experiences.”

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Through telling stories of human beings and individuals, I can remind others of our humanity, and I think everything else aligns with that.

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Responsibility

Photography has two sides. It incorporates fine art, but it also has an activist part. Photographers want to communicate and change the way people see others. How important are the political and social aspects of photography for Ibarra Rizo? “I think about this frequently. I think about the artist's responsibility. My priority is to tell human stories; everything is second to that. Politics or activism are not my priority. Through telling stories of human beings and individuals, I can remind others of our humanity, and I think everything else aligns with that. I acknowledge that I have a responsibility, considering that I am collaborating with my subjects to honour their stories. And if it helps with these issues of activism or politics, then I welcome that. But I think as artists and storytellers, we need to reflect on our responsibility that comes with our creative gifts.”

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About

Jose Ibarra Rizo is a Mexican-American multidisciplinary artist living and working in Atlanta, Georgia. His work primarily focuses on identity and is currently exploring the migrant experience in the American South. José is the recipient of the inaugural MINT + ACP Emerging Artist Fellowship, one of three awardees for the 2022 Atlanta Artadia Awards, and one of three winners of the 2023–2024 Working Artist Project for MOCA GA. His work is included in the permanent collection of the High Museum of Art, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, and The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University, and his clients include Rolling Stone, TIME magazine, and the New York Times.

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www.joseibarrarizo.com