Sophie Rivera
Contact
Why I Photograph
Sometimes I see a person who glows with an usual persona or is such a distinct individualist that they must be photographed. Other times there's a special relationship between people and often times they seem in perfect harmony with their environment. New York has so many faces to explore and the people I photograph usually choose me. Sometimes strong characteristics are stamped in their physiogonomy [sic], frequently accentuated by their choice of clothing or identity which, in some instances they have chosen.
-
A self-described "artist, latino, and feminist," Sophie Rivera (1938-2021) began her career in the 1970s, becoming part of a coalition of artists who sought to counter negative depictions of the Latine community in popular culture. Her earliest work reveals her committed political perspectives, through photojournalistic images taken for outlets including The Liberation News Service; the founding of her short-lived eponymous gallery; and her writing for Majority Report. Though best known for her Latino Portraits series, her work extends from NYC street and cityscapes, including images of the subway and graffiti; to double-exposed playground scenes; to boldly conceptual self-portraits.