Camila Falquez's Debut Solo Exhibition ‘Gods That Walk Among Us' Pushes Social Boundaries
In a society that has a rigid standard of beauty, power is often lost by those who don’t fit the expectation. Photographer Camila Falquez uses fashion and portrait photography to actively push back against these harmful traditions and norms, such as the gender binary and conventional beauty standards.
Her first solo exhibition, Gods That Walk Among Us, debuts on June 2 at New York City’s Hannah Traore Gallery, a safe space focused on supporting and appreciating marginalized and underrepresented artists. The exhibit uses loud, vibrant, surrealist portraits to promote new ideas of beauty and power, such as men wearing dresses and people not conforming to the gender binary. Her work encourages individuals to come as they are and find power within their diversity. “The constellation of divine beings represented in this work summons undeniable realities and future possibilities that can no longer be ignored, oppressed or erased,” Falquez says. “This is an opportunity to question where power really lies and to celebrate the grace and beauty that we carry. These are the Gods that Walk Among Us.”
Falquez, a New York-based photographer of Colombian heritage, has collaborated with brands like Hermès and Nike, and has work featured in The New York Times, WSJ, TIME Magazine, and more. She works to dismantle gender norms, honor diversities, and empower marginalized communities. Each portrait tells the story and harnesses the power of the subject with the goal of initiating social change by creating a new example of beauty. “It is time for us to create the statues of our future that will fill the halls of the museums and the city squares. It is through the creation of these scenarios over and over again that our world is transformed and becomes another,” Falquez says. “These photographs manifest the impossible.”
According to the press release, the 28 photographs (a mix of personal and commissioned work) were shot in various locations between Cuba, New York, Puerto Rico, and Spain over the last four years. They include a wide variety of subjects, from performers and muses to friends and activists, all of which are living their authentic truth. The exhibit highlights collaborations with phenomenal influences, such as activist Qween Jean and dancer Isabel Bayón.
This diversity of subjects was important to Falquez as it shows the embodiment of freedom and liberation. “It’s through drag, through dance, through marching in the streets and through community organizing that we enter The Vortex,” she says. “And we can talk about all that is sacred, profound and necessary.”
Many of Falquez’s shoots for this project were influenced by Salsa, Rumba, and Flamenco, creating an immersive and artistic journey with each subject. An old Rumba says, “si vamos a hablar, hablemos profundo,” or “if we are going to talk, let's talk profoundly.” Falquez uses this saying to guide her work, as her portraits dive deeper than the beauty and gender standards of our generation to show the ways diversity can liberate us.
Gods That Walk Among Us will run from June 2 through June 9 at Hannah Traore Gallery in New York. The opening reception will take place on June 2 from 6-8 p.m. https://hannahtraoregallery.com/
