Yael Martínez, Mexico. Guerrero. Cochoapa El Grande. December 31 2020. Abuelo-Estrella.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has announced Yael Martínez as the first winner of the newly established Edelman Impact Award in Photography. Martínez will receive a cash prize of $50,000 in recognition of his achievements in photography. Established by Cathy Edelman, the Edelman Impact Award in Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will annually recognize an outstanding emerging or mid-career photographer with a demonstrated commitment to social issues and exceptional visual storytelling.
“The Edelman Impact Award recognizes a photographer whose work doesn’t shy away from political or social issues. I’m proud to present the first award to Mexican photographer Yael Martínez, whose work addresses the violence of organized crime in his country. Presenting this in conjunction with the MFAH makes it especially meaningful." —Cathy Edelman
Award winner Yael Martínez is based in Guerrero, Mexico. His work illustrates the resilience of Mexican communities, through a blend of documentary and conceptual photography. Often sketching on, poking through, or scratching his photographic prints, Martínez aims to craft narratives of change rather than depict a singular moment. For the artist, these interventions marring the photographic surface not only symbolize the struggles of his subjects, but also represent their resistance and communal hope.