Photographs by Betty LaDuke
People always say a picture is worth a thousand words, and often cling to the idea that a visual representation is always better than a long-winded description. But can words or even a picture convey the weight of the emotions that can be connected to a single moment? When she began her work in art and photography I feel that Betty LaDuke, whether or not she knew it at the time, would come to discover what it would take to answer that question.
LaDuke has made hundreds of journeys in their life but one of her first times abroad, she was given a scholarship to study at Mexico's Instituto Allende where during her three-year stay at the school she spent a year living among the native Otomi people of the region.
Laduke spent her time with the Otomi learning their culture and attempting to become fluent in Spanish. She documented her time with the Otomi in her journal, but also in the photographs she took. There is a diverse mix of posed and candid photos, all of which have a very personal quality to them, these were not just random people to LaDuke, they were people she lived with. LaDuke lived in the Otomi village dependent on their hospitality, spending nights on the extra beds and cots available in some of the homes as a way to fully embrace their culture and her experience living there. The photos LaDuke took in the year that they spent with the Otomi people tell a very interesting story.
Looking at the collection you’ll see dozens of photos of the men, women, and children of the village, going about their lives or posing for a photo. No matter which ones you choose to examine you'll see one thing in common with all of them. The photos are above all human. You can feel just how real these photos are, these are not made to be caricatures of the Otomi people, it is simply who they are. The people you see in the photos are the same ones you could run into at the Saturday market, the same ones who’d look at you with a hard weathered face and kind eyes from years in the sun. Her portrayal of the Otomi people shows them trying to survive in an ever-changing world.