She would ask them about their grandchildren, tell them about her recent loss, and photograph them. The images are all variations on a simple concept: bodies that don’t reveal their faces, either covering them with the items they hold or turning their backs toward the camera. Devoid of their most identifying features, the subjects became abstract canvases upon which Lazo could project her grief. See more of her images here.

 Luvia Lazo, a self-taught photographer from the Indigenous Zapotec community of Teotitlán del Valle, was raised by her great-grandparents. After her great-grandfather passed away, she used her art to navigate her feelings of loss. At her local market, Lazo began approaching elder artisans who were selling their products. 

She would ask them about their grandchildren, tell them about her recent loss, and photograph them. The images are all variations on a simple concept: bodies that don’t reveal their faces, either covering them with the items they hold or turning their backs toward the camera. Devoid of their most identifying features, the subjects became abstract canvases upon which Lazo could project her grief. See more of her images here.