Manuel Rivera-Ortiz
Encyclopedia
Manuel Rivera-Ortiz is an American
documentary photographer of Puerto Rican
descent, the author of several photographic collections and the recipient of a number of awards. He is best known for his documentary photographs
of people's living conditions in less developed countries
. Rivera-Ortiz lives in Rochester, New York
, in New York City
and in Zurich
.
of Pozo Hondo, outside Guayama
on the Caribbean
coast of Puerto Rico
, the eldest of ten children (including four half-siblings and two stepsisters). He grew up in a corrugated tin shack with dirt floors without running water. His father hand-chopped sugar cane in the fields of Central Machete and Central Aguirre in the declining days of the Puerto Rican sugar industry, and, following the Zafra
or sugar-harvesting season, labored as a migrant farm worker in New England
and the Mid-Atlantic states
.
When Rivera-Ortiz was 11 years old, his parents separated and his father moved with the children to the US mainland in Holyoke, Massachusetts
. The separation from his mother whom he has not seen since then marked Rivera-Ortiz for his life. He attended classes at Mt. Holyoke
and Springfield
colleges as part of the Massachusetts Migrant Education summer program, where he was offered his first courses in photography and film development. The family later moved to Rochester, New York
.
Even though Spanish is his first language, Rivera-Ortiz graduated from East High School (Rochester, New York)
with Regents and AP English and other language classes. At East High School Rivera-Ortiz shared a homeroom with Kim Batten
for four years where they became friends. He then worked as a journalist. In 1995, Rivera-Ortiz graduated cum laude with a B.A.
degree as an English major from Nazareth College
, and in 1998 he received his Master's degree
from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
. Following his graduation he worked as a journalist for newspapers (e.g. Democrat and Chronicle
) and magazines (e.g. Elle
), but soon turned to photojournalism and documentary photography. In 2001, he began traveling as a freelance photographer with an emphasis on social issues and has exhibited his work in photographic exhibitions.
of people's living conditions in less developed nations. Traveling widely, his photography focuses on humanitarian issues often ignored by mainstream media. His work is represented in the permanent collections of several museums, including George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film
. In 2004, he received En Foco's New Works Photography Award
, and in 2007 the Artist of the Year Award of the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester. In 2002, he photographed Cuba, comparing the conditions he found there to the Puerto Rico of his youth. He has exhibited photographs showing the dignity of the Dalit
("Untouchable") Caste of India
and the Aymara living in the arid altiplano
of Bolivia. He has also photographed people from Kenya to Turkey to Thailand. The University of Puerto Rico
, in conjunction with the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico
(Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico), featured Rivera-Ortiz' work in courses on contemporary photographers. His work has been featured in the April 2008 issue of Rangefinder. In 2010, Rivera-Ortiz visited Dharavi
and Baiganwadi
and took pictures of daily life in these two Mumbai
slums. In 2011, he was selected by French photography organization 24h.com
to document the September 11 Commemorations in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
.
Rivera-Ortiz' photographs have been accorded a place in galleries and museums alongside fine art photography.
private operating foundation headquartered in Rochester, New York
. The Foundation was established in 2010 by Rivera-Ortiz to support underrepresented photographers, in particular from less developed countries
, in four specific program areas: book publications, traveling exhibitions, awards and grants, and educational programs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
documentary photographer of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
descent, the author of several photographic collections and the recipient of a number of awards. He is best known for his documentary photographs
Documentary photography
Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit...
of people's living conditions in less developed countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
. Rivera-Ortiz lives in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
.
Early life
Rivera-Ortiz was born into a poor family in the barrioBarrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
of Pozo Hondo, outside Guayama
Guayama, Puerto Rico
Guayama is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded on January 29, 1736 and located on the Southern Coastal Valley region, bordering the Caribbean, south of Cayey; east of Salinas; and west of Patillas and Arroyo. Guayama is spread over 9 wards and Guayama Pueblo...
on the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coast of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the eldest of ten children (including four half-siblings and two stepsisters). He grew up in a corrugated tin shack with dirt floors without running water. His father hand-chopped sugar cane in the fields of Central Machete and Central Aguirre in the declining days of the Puerto Rican sugar industry, and, following the Zafra
Zafra (agriculture)
The zafra refers to the late summer or early autumn harvest and is a common term in countries with Arabic or Spanish influence.In the Caribbean, the term generally refers to the sugar cane harvest . There, the zafra runs from January through May , whereas in the Mediterranean it occurs in September...
or sugar-harvesting season, labored as a migrant farm worker in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and the Mid-Atlantic states
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
.
When Rivera-Ortiz was 11 years old, his parents separated and his father moved with the children to the US mainland in Holyoke, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The separation from his mother whom he has not seen since then marked Rivera-Ortiz for his life. He attended classes at Mt. Holyoke
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
and Springfield
Springfield College
Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
colleges as part of the Massachusetts Migrant Education summer program, where he was offered his first courses in photography and film development. The family later moved to Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
Even though Spanish is his first language, Rivera-Ortiz graduated from East High School (Rochester, New York)
East High School (Rochester, New York)
East High School is a public high school serving the seventh through twelfth grade in Rochester, NY and is part of the Rochester City School District The Principal is Mr. Anibal Soler.-History:...
with Regents and AP English and other language classes. At East High School Rivera-Ortiz shared a homeroom with Kim Batten
Kim Batten
Kim Batten is a retired female American 400 meter hurdles champion. She was the 1995 world record holder in the women's 400-meter hurdles....
for four years where they became friends. He then worked as a journalist. In 1995, Rivera-Ortiz graduated cum laude with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree as an English major from Nazareth College
Nazareth College (New York)
Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, is a private liberal arts college in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester.-History:Nazareth was founded in 1924 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The first class, comprising 25 young women, began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New...
, and in 1998 he received his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is one of Columbia's graduate and professional schools. It offers three degree programs: Master of Science in journalism , Master of Arts in journalism and a Ph.D. in communications...
. Following his graduation he worked as a journalist for newspapers (e.g. Democrat and Chronicle
Democrat and Chronicle
The Democrat and Chronicle is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area. Located at 55 Exchange Boulevard in downtown Rochester, the Democrat and Chronicle operates under the ownership of Gannett. The paper's production facility is located in the town of...
) and magazines (e.g. Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
), but soon turned to photojournalism and documentary photography. In 2001, he began traveling as a freelance photographer with an emphasis on social issues and has exhibited his work in photographic exhibitions.
Photographic career
Rivera-Ortiz is noted for his social documentary photographySocial documentary photography
Social documentary photography may be defined as the act of recording, with a camera, human beings in their natural condition. Often is also refers to a socially critical genre of photography dedicated to showing the life of underprivileged or disadvantaged people.-Origin of social documentary...
of people's living conditions in less developed nations. Traveling widely, his photography focuses on humanitarian issues often ignored by mainstream media. His work is represented in the permanent collections of several museums, including George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film
George Eastman House
The George Eastman House is the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in Rochester, New York, USA. World-renowned for its photograph and motion picture archives, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and...
. In 2004, he received En Foco's New Works Photography Award
En Foco
En Foco is a non-profit organization that nurtures contemporary fine art and documentary photographers of diverse cultures, primarily U.S. residents of Latino, African and Asian heritage, and native peoples of the Americas and the Pacific....
, and in 2007 the Artist of the Year Award of the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester. In 2002, he photographed Cuba, comparing the conditions he found there to the Puerto Rico of his youth. He has exhibited photographs showing the dignity of the Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
("Untouchable") Caste of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the Aymara living in the arid altiplano
Altiplano
The Altiplano , in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet...
of Bolivia. He has also photographed people from Kenya to Turkey to Thailand. The University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
, in conjunction with the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico
Museum of Art of Puerto Rico
The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico is one of the most prestigious art museums in Puerto Rico.-History:...
(Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico), featured Rivera-Ortiz' work in courses on contemporary photographers. His work has been featured in the April 2008 issue of Rangefinder. In 2010, Rivera-Ortiz visited Dharavi
Dharavi
Dharavi is a slum and administrative ward, over parts of Sion, Bandra, Kurla and Kalina suburbs of Mumbai, India. It is sandwiched between Mahim in the west and Sion in the east, and spread over an area of 175 hectares, or...
and Baiganwadi
Baiganwadi
Baiganwadi is located in Govandi . Baiganwadi has Mumbai's oldest and largest waste dumping ground. The whole area is divided in plots by crossing roads and gullies.-Geography:...
and took pictures of daily life in these two Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
slums. In 2011, he was selected by French photography organization 24h.com
24h.com
24h is a photography program established by the French photography organization Photographie.com and kicked off in October 2010 commissioning photographers to document specific events around the globe. During each event, selected photographers are given 24 hours to express their talent and explore...
to document the September 11 Commemorations in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Shanksville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 245, as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and is approximately 60 miles southeast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Rivera-Ortiz' photographs have been accorded a place in galleries and museums alongside fine art photography.
Quote
"The irony about my photography is that making these pictures constantly reminds me of my past. But life continues without regard for my own struggles growing up. It is for this reason that today I make these pictures to lend the voice I have been given to those who like me then, are still living in poverty today." —Manuel Rivera-OrtizSelected solo exhibitions
- 2004 Weitman Gallery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
- 2004 Link Gallery, City Hall, Rochester, NY
- 2006 Seventh & Second Photo Gallery, New York, NY
- 2006/2007 Link Gallery, City Hall, Rochester, NY
- 2007 El Museo Francisco Oller y Diego Rivera, Buffalo, NY
- 2007 Columbia University Joseph Pulitzer Graduate School of Journalism, New York, NYColumbia University Graduate School of JournalismThe Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is one of Columbia's graduate and professional schools. It offers three degree programs: Master of Science in journalism , Master of Arts in journalism and a Ph.D. in communications...
- 2007 William Whipple Art Gallery, Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall, MN
- 2007 Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY
- 2008 Nuyorican Poets CaféNuyorican Poets CaféThe Nuyorican Poets Café is a non-profit organization in Alphabet City, Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, USA, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre.-History:...
, New York, NY - 2008 Swiss ReSwiss ReSwiss Reinsurance Company Ltd , generally known as Swiss Re, is a Swiss reinsurance company. It is the world’s second-largest reinsurer, after having acquired GE Insurance Solutions. The company has its headquarters in Zurich...
, Zurich, Switzerland
Selected group exhibitions
- 2003 Credit Suisse, New York, NY
- 2004 Memorial Art GalleryMemorial Art GalleryThe Memorial Art Gallery is the civic art museum of Rochester, New York. Founded in 1913, it is part of the University of Rochester and occupies the southern half of the University's former Prince Street campus...
, Rochester, NY - 2005 Longwood Art Gallery, New York, NY
- 2005 Chelsea Art MuseumChelsea Art MuseumThe Chelsea Art Museum is a contemporary art museum located at 556 West 22nd Street on the corner of Eleventh Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City....
, New York, NY - 2005 Lehigh University Art Galleries, Bethlehem, PA
- 2006 George Eastman HouseGeorge Eastman HouseThe George Eastman House is the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in Rochester, New York, USA. World-renowned for its photograph and motion picture archives, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and...
, Rochester, NY - 2007 The Centre Gallery, Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, Miami, FL
- 2007 Art Off The Main, Art Expo, Puck Building, New York, NY
The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation for International Photography
The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation for International Photography is a non-profitNon-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
private operating foundation headquartered in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. The Foundation was established in 2010 by Rivera-Ortiz to support underrepresented photographers, in particular from less developed countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
, in four specific program areas: book publications, traveling exhibitions, awards and grants, and educational programs.
Publications
- Viajeros: North American Artist / Photographers’ Images of Cuba, Lehigh University Art Galleries, 2005
- "A Journey of Self-Discovery", Rangefinder Magazine. (PDF of the article).
- Lori Marie Carlson, ed., Voices in first person, Simon & Schuster, 2008, ISBN 1416984453. Rivera-Ortiz provides the photographs in what the publisher describes as "A collection of monologues featuring the most respected Latino authors writing today, including Sandra Cisneros, Oscar Hijuelos, and Gary Soto.
- Percepciones en Blanco & Negro - Colombia, Ediciones Adéer Lyinad, 2009. ISBN 9589923704. Rivera-Ortiz provides the introduction to this collection of the work of 103 photographers.
Collections
- Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, NY
- George Eastman House, Rochester, NY
- Lehigh University Art Galleries, Bethlehem, PA
- William Whipple Art Gallery and Museum, Marshall, MN
External links
- Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Official Website (with image galleries)
- The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation for International Photography Official Website
- Manuel Rivera-Ortiz at Luminous-LintLuminous-LintLuminous-Lint is a website on photography, run by Alan Griffiths, on vintage and contemporary photography. The site also serves as a collaborative knowledge base on the history of photography and includes some 30,000 photographs, 375 online exhibitions, biographies of more than 6,000...
- Manuel Rivera-Ortiz at En FocoEn FocoEn Foco is a non-profit organization that nurtures contemporary fine art and documentary photographers of diverse cultures, primarily U.S. residents of Latino, African and Asian heritage, and native peoples of the Americas and the Pacific....
- An Interview with Photographer Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, Interview in Buffalo Rising
- Rochester City Newspaper: "Manuel Rivera-Ortiz: India"
- Thoughts on Photography with Paul Giguere Interview with Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, July 23, 2009
- The Jeff Farias Show - June 15, 2010: Manuel Rivera-Ortiz returns