Instante/Revelación

A powerful visual journey through twentieth-century Mexico, this bilingual volume showcases the iconic photography and creative community that shaped a national visual identity. Presenting nearly 150 pictures made between 1920 and 2017, Instante/revelación highlights the work of thirteen renowned photographers who feature prominently in the history of the medium in Mexico, including Lola and Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Graciela Iturbide, and Pablo Ortiz Monasterio. Through a dynamic selection of images, the publication explores some of the intertwined sociocultural forces that shape life and art in Mexico. Among the photographs are stunning presentations of landscapes, architecture, and flora and fauna from across the country; depictions of daily life; and portraits of esteemed Mexican artists and writers such as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Octavio Paz. An illustrated essay examines the significant role photobooks and periodicals played in disseminating these images. The photographers featured in this volume are linked by friendship, influence, and collaboration. Their works, when viewed together as a collective narrative, reveal the spirit of fruitful exchange that characterizes this exciting chapter in Mexico's photographic history. This volume is published to accompany an exhibition on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center from September 1, 2026, to January 3, 2027.