Manuel Carillo (1906–1989) began his career in photography during a rich period for Mexican art. Mexicanidad, the artists movement that sought to purge colonial influences from Mexican culture, had become a major influence in the country in the decades following the Mexican Revolution. Carillo’s street photos, which capture the everyday life of campesinos (farm workers) and indios (indigenous workers), draws heavily from the nationalist ambitions of the movement. The portraits are intimate and quiet, yet made dramatic by the artist’s use of shadows and sunlight. They are unflinchingly honest in their depictions of poverty, yet remain a celebration of native traditions and Mexico’s national identity. —Paulina Prosnitz