Original article: Ediciones UACh presenta libro «Mariana Matthews. Antología fotográfica»

UACh Ediciones Launches «Mariana Matthews: A Photographic Anthology»

Without voyeurism or folklorism, and with her characteristic ethics of entering a home and settling at the edge so as not to intrude, photographer Mariana Matthews has left an indelible mark on the national artistic identity, contributing significantly to the representation of unique territories and personalities.

In the most secluded corners of the symbolic world, the artist has uniquely captured the southern region of Chile, aware that an image, much like a poem, is merely a hypothesis about reality.

She has embraced this challenge, acknowledging that rather than denying bias or distortion, one must incorporate them. This may be one of the keys to her photographic vision focused on the landscape and social life of the southern territories: we see less, but we understand more.

UACh Ediciones will publish «Mariana Matthews: A Photographic Anthology,» a work curated and presented by art historian, critic, and curator Ignacio Szmulewicz. This anthology showcases a vast collection of images—some previously unpublished—that have been part of the artist’s journey and have traveled globally through numerous solo and group exhibitions.

The publication will be launched on Thursday, June 11, at 6 PM in the Exhibition Hall of the Los Canelos Extension Center at UACh. The event will feature commentary from the curator, Ignacio Szmulewicz; designer, Ricardo Mendoza; director of the publisher, Yanko González; and the author herself, Mariana Matthews.

Mariana Matthews (1946)

A photographer and visual artist trained in the United States, Mariana Matthews studied at the American University in Washington D.C. from 1964 to 1969, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later completed a master’s program in photography at the University of Ohio, Athens (1969–1970). After returning to Chile in 1976, she deepened her expertise through courses and residencies, including a master class with Mary Ellen Mark at Rockport Photographic Workshops (1998) and an artist residency at the Burke Museum of the University of Washington (2004).

She has developed most of her professional career in southern Chile, blending artistic practice, research, and the preservation of photographic heritage. Her work has evolved from a documentary approach to include photomontage, collage, artist books, and video art. Additionally, she has engaged in curatorial, editorial, and essayistic work in the field of heritage photography.

Ignacio Szmulewicz Ramírez (1986)

Ignacio Szmulewicz Ramírez is an art historian from the University of Chile; he holds a master’s degree in architecture and is a PhD candidate in architecture and urban studies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He has published books such as «Art, City, and Public Sphere in Chile» and «Out of the White Cube,» both with publisher Metales Pesados. He has curated projects including «Sanctuary: Contemporary Art in Valdivia» (Centro de Extensión Palacio Pereira, 2024) and «Far, Very Far» (Centro Cultural Matucana 100, 2023). Currently, he works as an academic at the Catholic University of Temuco and as an art critic for magazines like La Panera, Art Forum, and Art Nexus.

Book Details

Title: Mariana Matthews
Subtitle: Photographic Anthology
Author: Ignacio Szmulewicz (selection, curation, and texts)
Subject: photography and photographs
Collection: Arts
ISBN: 978-956-390-289-1
Retail Price: $29.900
Pages: 144
Size: 18 x 25 cm (hardcover)
Year: 2025

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