The Easel

14th July 2026

Through Graciela Iturbide’s Eyes: Ritual, Identity, and the Poetry of Mexico

Cornelia Feye | Vanguard Culture | 4th March 2026

Iturbide a prominent Mexican photographer, often portrays her country from the viewpoint of indigenous communities. Indigenous culture is, of course, very different to western culture. Myth and death, for example, are central elements of indigenous Mexican culture. How can they be shown authentically? For Iturbide, it requires slow photography that is an “act of attention … … allowing images to form through proximity rather than pursuit. Says one writer she produces “haunting and haunted visions”.

‘A distinct Canadian character’: The 1920s paintings that changed how the world saw Canada

Cath Pound | bbc.com | 6th July 2026

Canada’s Group of Seven artists emerged just after WW1 at a time when the Canadian wilderness was thought an uninteresting subject for art. Having seen highly coloured Scandinavian landscapes the Group set about using that style to articulate the “feel”, rather than the look, of the Canadian wilderness. Their work is now celebrated as helping define Canadian identity. But there is a qualification. Their depiction of “empty wilderness” erased Indigenous presence. Theirs is the art of “settlers coming and appreciating the land”.

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