May Cross
Presentation
Exhibition in the Museum Entrance Hall
September–December 2016
The Cruz de Mayo or May Cross is one of the most popular religious festivals in Northern Chile. It originated in the devotional cult of the Catholic Cross introduced by the Spanish in colonial times, but over time the Aymara people have made the celebration their own. Today, the May Cross not only commemorates the death of Jesus Christ, but also celebrates agricultural production and the fertility of the land.
The rich visual spectacle and heritage of the traditional May Cross festival held in Socoroma prompted photographer Rodrigo Villalón to create an intimate portrait of the festivities. His unadorned black and white images capture the purest expression of a people engaged in joyous celebration, allowing everyone to enjoy its stunning beauty. The documentary-like coverage and the author’s pristine lens—a far cry from today’s grandiose photographic paradigms—offer images without special effects, images that are sincere enough to capture the heart of the celebration and convey it to the heart of the viewer.
Photography
Rodrigo Villalón Ardisoni
Organization and Production
Fernando Rivera Ramírez
Investigation and texts
Wilson Muñoz Henríquez