Photobook Art Lab · Latin America and Its Diasporas

Latinx Photobook Archive

The Latinx Photobook Archive, a program of SoFLaFoto’s Photobook Art Lab, gathers photobooks, monographs and catalogues by Latinx photographers working in the United States. It follows Elizabeth Ferrer’s Latinx Photography in the United States: A Visual History (2021), the first full history of the field, and is organized by the chapters of her book.

Ferrer defines a Latinx person as someone who lives in the United States and whose family roots lie in a Spanish-speaking country of the Americas. She adopts the term knowing that it is not universally embraced, as an inclusive umbrella for communities that also name themselves Chicano, Boricua, Nuyorican, Cuban American and more. The archive follows her usage, and each book’s label uses the photographer’s own heritage. Books by photographers who meet her definition but are not discussed in her book are marked Beyond Ferrer. Chapters the collection cannot yet represent are shown as open.

Surveys and histories

Histories, survey exhibitions and periodicals of Latinx photography, including Ferrer’s own books.

  1. Cover of Latinx Photography in the United States: A Visual HistoryLatinx Photography in the United States: A Visual HistoryElizabeth Ferrer · 2021
  2. Cover of From the West: Chicano Narrative PhotographyFrom the West: Chicano Narrative PhotographyJennifer A. González, Chon A. Noriega · 1995
  3. Cover of Cotidiano: Latino/U.S.Cotidiano: Latino/U.S.Claudi Carreras (ed.) · 2014
  4. Cover of Picturing the Barrio: Ten Chicano PhotographersPicturing the Barrio: Ten Chicano PhotographersDavid William Foster · 2017
  5. Cover of Aperture 245: LatinxAperture 245: LatinxAperture · 2021
  6. Cover of Radical Conventions: Cuban American Art from the 1980sRadical Conventions: Cuban American Art from the 1980sElizabeth Cerejido (curator) · 2022
  7. Cover of Picturing the BorderPicturing the BorderNadiah Rivera Fellah · 2024
  8. Cover of Xican-a.o.x. BodyXican-a.o.x. BodyCecilia Fajardo-Hill et al. · 2024
  9. Cover of Chicano Camera Culture: A Photographic History, 1966 to 2026Chicano Camera Culture: A Photographic History, 1966 to 2026Elizabeth Ferrer · 2026

Chapter 1Roots and Antecedents 1840–1960s

Photographers of Latin American heritage working in the United States before the civil rights era.

  1. Cover of Errancia y fotografía: el mundo hispánico de Jesse A. FernándezErrancia y fotografía: el mundo hispánico de Jesse A. FernándezJesse A. Fernández · 2017Cuban

Chapter 2The Rise of a Latinx Consciousness 1960s–1980s

Photography of the Chicano and Puerto Rican movements and of the community institutions they built.

  1. Cover of La RazaLa RazaLuis C. Garza, Amy Scott, Colin Gunckel (eds.) · 2020Chicano
  2. Cover of The Other Side of MemoryThe Other Side of MemoryLuis C. Garza · 2023Chicano
  3. Cover of Louis Carlos Bernal: MonografíaLouis Carlos Bernal: MonografíaLouis Carlos Bernal · 2024Chicano

Chapter 3Documents 1970s–present

Documentary photography of Latinx communities.

  1. Cover of Taxi: Journey Through My Windows 1977–1987Taxi: Journey Through My Windows 1977–1987Joseph Rodriguez · 2020Puerto Rican

Ferrer’s chapter also includes Perla de León, Ángel Franco, Ricky Flores and Joe Conzo Jr., whose books the archive is still collecting.

Chapter 4LA Chicanx

Chicanx photographers of Los Angeles, from the movement years to the city’s queer and underground scenes.

  1. Cover of Ricardo ValverdeRicardo ValverdeRamón García · A Ver, vol. 8 · 2013Chicano
  2. Cover of Cholo Writing: Latino Gang Graffiti in Los AngelesCholo Writing: Latino Gang Graffiti in Los AngelesFrançois Chastanet · 2015Beyond Ferrer
  3. Cover of Cock, Paper, ScissorsCock, Paper, ScissorsDavid Evans Frantz (ed.) · 2016Beyond Ferrer
  4. Cover of Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A.Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A.C. Ondine Chavoya, David Evans Frantz (eds.) · 2017Beyond Ferrer
  5. Cover of Laura Aguilar: Show and TellLaura Aguilar: Show and TellRebecca Epstein (ed.) · 2017Chicana
  6. Cover of Anthony HernándezAnthony HernándezAnthony Hernández · 2019Mexican American
  7. Cover of Provisional Notes for a Disappeared CityProvisional Notes for a Disappeared CityReynaldo Rivera · 2020Mexican AmericanBeyond Ferrer
  8. Cover of Teddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of ArtTeddy Sandoval and the Butch Gardens School of ArtC. Ondine Chavoya, David Evans Frantz (eds.) · 2024ChicanoBeyond Ferrer
  9. Cover of Propiedad PrivadaPropiedad PrivadaReynaldo Rivera · 2026Mexican AmericanBeyond Ferrer

Chapter 5Staging Self, Narrating Culture

Portraiture, performance and staged images that tell stories of identity.

  1. Cover of Christina Fernández: Multiple ExposuresChristina Fernández: Multiple ExposuresRebecca Epstein (ed.) · 2022Chicana
  2. Cover of Cuarentena: 40 días & 40 nochesCuarentena: 40 días & 40 nochesGeandy Pavón · 2024Cuban AmericanBeyond Ferrer
  3. Cover of Elle Pérez: DevotionsElle Pérez: DevotionsElle Pérez · 2026Puerto RicanBeyond Ferrer

Chapter 6Family

Photographs of kin, home and memory.

  1. Cover of StoriesStoriesTony Mendoza · 1987Cuban American
  2. Cover of Ernie: A Photographer’s MemoirErnie: A Photographer’s MemoirTony Mendoza · 2001Cuban American

Chapter 7The Archive

Work built from collections and found images, and from the recovery of history.

  1. Cover of Julio’s HouseJulio’s HouseOrestes González · 2017Cuban AmericanBeyond Ferrer

Chapter 8Geographies

Place, landscape and exile: the cities and countries Latinx photographers move between.

  1. Cover of Ana Mendieta: A Book of WorksAna Mendieta: A Book of WorksBonnie Clearwater (ed.) · 1993Cuban American
  2. Cover of Ana Mendieta: En búsqueda del origenAna Mendieta: En búsqueda del origenVincent Honoré (ed.) · 2024Cuban American
  3. Cover of Portfolio LatinoamericanoPortfolio LatinoamericanoMario Algaze · 1998Cuban American
  4. Cover of Cuba 1999–2000Cuba 1999–2000Mario Algaze · 2001Cuban American
  5. Cover of Visión revelada / Vision RevealedVisión revelada / Vision RevealedAbelardo Morell · 2003Cuban American
  6. Cover of Camera ObscuraCamera ObscuraAbelardo Morell · 2004Cuban American
  7. Cover of Flesh Life: Sex in Mexico CityFlesh Life: Sex in Mexico CityJoseph Rodriguez · 2006Puerto Rican
  8. Cover of Mario Algaze PortfolioMario Algaze PortfolioMario Algaze · 2010Cuban American
  9. Cover of Musical Roots: The SeventiesMusical Roots: The SeventiesMario Algaze · 2018Cuban American
  10. Cover of HabaneroHabaneroOrestes González · 2026Cuban AmericanBeyond Ferrer

Chapter 9Conceptual Statements

Conceptual and experimental approaches to the photographic image.

  1. Cover of Because of the CityBecause of the CityGory (Rogelio López Marín) · 2008Cuban American
  2. Cover of Nowhere LandNowhere LandGory (Rogelio López Marín) · 2008Cuban American
  3. Cover of Andres Serrano: El dedo en la llagaAndres Serrano: El dedo en la llagaOliva María Rubio (ed.) · 2010Honduran and Cuban heritage
  4. Cover of TetralogyTetralogyMaría Martínez-Cañas · 2010Cuban American

Chapter 10Puerto Rico, Connected and Apart

Photography from Puerto Rico and its ties to the mainland.

The archive is collecting toward this chapter. In Ferrer’s book it includes Héctor Méndez Caratini, Frieda Medín, Víctor Vázquez and Néstor Millán.

The books documented in this archive belong to the founder’s private library and are made available to SoFLaFoto as an educational and research resource. Their inclusion does not transfer ownership to SoFLaFoto, and the books are not available for loan or sale. Bibliographic data is drawn from the archive’s catalogue and is being checked against publisher and library records. Corrections are welcome. Cover images are shown for identification only; rights holders may request their removal.