My Father and the World of Wrestling

As I reflect on my childhood, I remember spending all my days at the gymnasium with my father and his family, who were all Swiss. My father became a Mexican bicycle champion, and I would spend hours watching him train and listening to his stories about his experiences in Mexico. Little did I know that this exposure to the world of sports and competition would shape my future as a photographer and influence my work in wrestling.

Wrestling, or Lucha Libre as it is known in Mexico, has been an integral part of Mexican culture for centuries. It is a unique blend of athletic skill, theatrics, and storytelling that captivates audiences of all ages. As I began to explore the world of wrestling, I was struck by its diversity and complexity. Each wrestler had their own distinct style, personality, and storyline, making it impossible to categorize or define.

My journey into the world of wrestling began with photographs. I wanted to capture the beauty, drama, and emotion of this ancient sport. As a young photographer, I was drawn to the athleticism and physicality of the wrestlers, as well as their costumes and masks, which added an element of mystery and fantasy to the performances. My camera became my tool for storytelling, allowing me to convey the intensity, passion, and drama of each match.

As I delved deeper into the world of wrestling, I discovered that it was not just a sport, but also a form of entertainment, a way to tell stories, and a means of expression. The wrestlers were like actors on stage, using their bodies and voices to convey emotions, personalities, and backstories. I found myself drawn to the performers, their charisma, and their ability to connect with audiences.

One of my earliest memories as a photographer was documenting the lives of the wrestlers in their homes and communities. I wanted to humanize them, to show that they were not just athletes or entertainers, but also people with families, friends, and everyday concerns. I found that the wrestlers were kind, humble, and generous individuals who were passionate about their craft.

Over time, I became fascinated by the cultural significance of wrestling in Mexico. It was more than just a sport; it was a way to connect with one's heritage, to honor tradition, and to tell stories that were both personal and universal. I realized that wrestling had become an integral part of Mexican identity, reflecting values such as honor, loyalty, and community.

As the years passed, I continued to work on my photography projects, documenting the lives of wrestlers, their families, and their communities. My photographs became a way to express my own experiences, observations, and feelings about this unique culture. I began to see wrestling as a microcosm of Mexican society, with its own set of rules, hierarchies, and relationships.

One of the most important projects I undertook was documenting the Evangelismo de San Mateo theater group in Tabasco. This community-based theater company used traditional Mexican music, dance, and storytelling to convey messages about social justice, education, and human rights. I became deeply involved with the group, working closely with the performers and crew members to create photographs that captured their passion and dedication.

As I look back on my life's work, I realize that photography has been my language, my way of expressing myself and conveying ideas. It has allowed me to connect with people from all walks of life, to tell stories that need to be told, and to celebrate the beauty and diversity of this world. Wrestling, in particular, has become a beloved subject, one that continues to inspire me with its creativity, passion, and cultural significance.

The arrival of television changed everything for wrestling in Mexico. Suddenly, matches were broadcast across the country, and arenas began to close as wrestlers turned to performing in circuses and festivals instead. I saw this shift as a loss, not just for the sport itself but also for the communities that had supported it. Wrestling was no longer the focal point of towns and villages; instead, it became a distant memory.

And yet, even as television altered the landscape of wrestling, its cultural significance remained strong. In the small towns where wrestlers once performed, I found that the art form continued to thrive in other forms. The tradition of storytelling through music and dance persisted, with new generations of performers emerging to carry on the legacy. For me, this was a testament to the power of culture to adapt, evolve, and endure.

In my work as a photographer, I have come to understand that wrestling is not just a sport or a form of entertainment but also an expression of Mexican identity and values. It reflects our history, our traditions, and our relationships with one another. As I look back on my journey, I am reminded of the wisdom of my friend and screenwriter, who once told me, "You have to be in love with something that has nothing to do with you." For me, wrestling was always about more than just capturing images; it was a way to connect with people, tell stories, and express myself.

My work as a photographer is not done yet. I continue to create new projects, each one driven by my passion for storytelling and my desire to share the beauty of this world. As I reflect on my life's work, I am reminded that photography has been my language, my tool for expression and communication. It has allowed me to capture moments, convey emotions, and tell stories that need to be told.

As I sit down to write these final words, I am filled with a sense of gratitude and wonder. Wrestling, this ancient sport, has taught me so much about human nature, about community, and about the power of storytelling. It has shown me that even in the most unexpected places, beauty, passion, and creativity can be found. And as I look to the future, I know that my work will continue to be driven by a love for this world, its people, and its stories.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enMy father which… wasall his family and him were Swissand he became aMexican bicycle champion - National Championso I before I had a house I had a gymnasiumand so I spent all my childhoodin the gymnasium so all my iconographythey were bodybuilders and so on and soonand then about that timeit was the beginning of the television andthe wrestling matches start being transmittedby television and I loved themI really loved them andI asked my father to betaken to the arena and he never took mebecause I was a girl and then I keptthat inside of me and thenwhen I became a photographer and I havemy camera with me and the camera helpsyou to discover all your needs and everythingI decided to gothey never had seen a woman takingphotographsof the wrestling matchesthe director of the enterprise came and they saywhat are you doing here? I sayI just want to take photographs so thenI explained to them I want to take photographsthey understood they gave me a special entranceso I start going inthis is a mask cultureI mean you never know if it's realwhat they are telling you or not soit's part of the wrestlingthe use of the maskthe identity so I startdiscovering a lot of thingsthat were related to of our culturethe use of the colorthe ritualI started in color but when I went try to go insidethem and then I change color for black and whiteand I kept it bothEl Santo and Blue Demon, the oldonesthose are the only ones that Inever saw their faces andI didn't want to see themthe way the rest of the otherwrestlers I used to go to visit themor we met in the arenaand then they were not using masksbut when the camera came out then theyput masks and so on and so forthbut with Santo and Blue Demon neverEl Santo was justI took him as my professor my teacherin terms of generosity I meanbecause he is the most well known characterof this country but he was notcorrupted because of his famehe's the only person in my life that I met that hehad this relationship with the peopleI remember I shot stills in one of hisfilms and so I spent a lot of time with himand when the people because it was avery low-budget film so we used tofilm in the streets or in friendshouses and when the people discoveredthathe was there I mean it wasbig cues waiting to get an autographand he stayed there until the end and it was justamazing by that time I was working and makingadvertising with Anthony Quinnand with El Santo at the same timebecause he was making an advertising ina rumand the attitude I mean nothingto do I mean the other guy I meanAnthony Quinn he didn't appear untileverything was ready camerasstand ins everything ready thenhe came out but with El Santohe was the stand in he was doing the researchonce a toma una dostres cuatro todohe was in the stage without complainingI mean that was incredible I mean for mesomething important because I hate allthis protagonismo so I saidI'm going to take him as my professor in generosityI was trying to talk with him about philosophyand being El Santo andhe didn't mind I mean he was El Santo sowhat do you ask for I mean what are youquestioning for I mean El Santoand with Blue Demon as well I mean it was againanother great characterhe was very aware of being a teacherhe built up several gyms to teach real wrestlingand because he was a he was in love of thewrestling matches and he was aware that thingswere changing and so he wastrying to give them the old essence about the waythat the techniquefor me it was a great experience and I thank lifethat I wasI had that chance to be closeto both because it's a relationshipa straight relationship between the actionand the publicso I took a lot of photographsabout the public and then Idecided that because the ones that fight every weekthey are allowed to have a goodearn good moneybut the ones that notthey have to have another job tosolve that problemso I start going to see what they used to doI mean I foundpeople working in restaurants bodyguards teachersonce a year they crowna queen and and they've got incredibledancesyou dance all night long they're verygood dancers and it's like Las Millones de Nochesand great great parties and then Icall that Lucha Estrellas becauseI tried to describe how the wrestling itselfhas its own choreographybecause I mean they are trained bodies there'snot just like that they are trained bodiesso all the movement it's inrelation of how they deal with their bodyso I make comparisons between peopledancing and people wrestlingto show how the wrestling itself has itsown choreographyI was going in and in and deeply and deeplyand then I decided to start visiting themin their houses to see how they livethey are normal peoplethey have their familiesI love the Diabolica because she'sDiabolica with thatname she's rude and but the most lovely motherwith her childrenI mean she… the way that she wastreating and deal with her childrenI mean it was just amazing was full of lovea lady that is Ruda and say allthis dichotomies I mean I love themso I likeI understood about this countrytaking photographs about wrestlingand that's why I kept there thirty years ofmy life until the start changingthe media started being openthe gringos and the television came in so theychange all those technique stuff the feelingI had an exhibition in Oaxaca and we invitedwrestlers from Oaxaca and when thetelevision came in a lot of arenas closedand I told themand what are you doing now without arenasand they said we don't botherI mean we have a group and we are hiredin feast and fiestas, patronales in thetowns and in circus andand that's the beginning of theas far as I could gothat's the beginning of the wrestling matchesthe way that wrestlingstarted in small towns in the circusand so because of the I mean I love thatbecause that's life no thecircleI mean the the television came inspoiled the wrestling matchesbut at the same time makes that it goes to theorigin in other countries where you havewrestlingis like is a continuance ofGreco Romana - Lucha Greco Romanabut in this country has something special andit's that it's linked to the pre-hispanicculturethat's why it has its ownfeeling and its own ritualagain it goes towards the people because it's veryits a link because there's no like in El Juego De Pelotayou have information in the codices nobut there's nothing about wrestling butMexicans its warriors the relationship with Japanwhich is another culture of warriorsit makes it strongbut once that I took a friend of mine hewas…he was a dramaturgohow do you say when you writescreenwriterand I invite himI invite him to the wrestling matchesand he was outhe didn't like it at alland he told me I'm going to invite you to seereal theater and great theaterand he invited me to go to Tabascowhich is a country of Mexico the southeast andI sat down in front of a beautiful riverand then the Evangelismo de San Mateostarted and I just got in love about the projectand I keep on as well as I meanis now about 35 years with themand I decided to document all the projectbecause I think there's something thathas been very important for the Mexicanculture it is nothing else about itbut what they the theater and the art had donefor persons is something indescribableand now I'm working on a bookbecause I have been documenting thatfor 35 years the same as the wrestling matchesso I've got them because Iremember when I decided to be a photographerI decided not to be afolklorist and nothing to do withfolk art or Indians or whatever and suddenlyI was taken for the photographs of Indiansbut noI was not photographing Indians I wasphotographing actorswhen I start going to the wrestling matchesmy urban Indians were the wrestlersmy actors were the people from the countrysidewell all my projects teach me a lotI mean I can understand the worldworking in the things that I'minterested inbecause I make researchI read a lot I try to understand what I'm doingI mean I'm not I say that I don'ttake photos I create my photographsso I mean that's a way that I like to work ifI can define what photography for meis that it's my language is the way that Ican express myself so I was not in thatdiscussion of it is art or not I meanfor me has been always my languageas the way that I can express myself and Ican express the ideas that I've gotso that's photography for me\n"