Lucha Libre! Masked Mexican Wrestlers

Posted by Rey on Jan 17 2008 | Podcast

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Rick Hock, Director of Exhibitions of George Eastman House and Janet Infarinato, Copy Editor/Publications Coordinator of George Eastman House, discuss the exhibit Lucha Libre! Masked Mexican Wrestlers.

Lucha Libre! Masked Mexican Wrestlers is a spectacular selection of photographs, films, and artifacts from Mexico City that provide a journey through the real and imaginary world of the Mexican lucha libre (free form) wrestling scene. The images of Lucha Libre! Masked Mexican Wrestlers span more than six decades, integrating journalistic assignments, portrait photography, documentaries, and artistic projects.

With approximately 100 original prints and contemporary reproductions ranging from postcard size to photomurals, this impressively diverse exhibition includes three audiovisual projections and a film.

Created under the auspices of Fundación Televisa’s Visual Arts Division and George Eastman House, Lucha Libre! was curated by Orlando Jimenez and Alfonso Morales of Mexico City, who have both played a major role in the recent cultural reevaluation of wrestling in Mexico.

To learn more, please visit George Eastman House. To donate, please click Donate Now!

PHOTO CREDITS:

MASKED GIRL, A FAN FROM VERACRUZ by John O’Leary, 1981. Gelatin silver
CARPETA DESPLEGADA DE UN PRESSBOOK DE TRES FILMES DE EL SANTO YBLUE DEMON by an Undentified Photographer, 1969. Gelatin silver vintage print.
CELEBRATIONS OF THE HOLY CROSS,ZITLALA, GUERRERO by Agustín Estrada, 1986. Gelatin silver
DR. WAGNER JR. POSING NEXT TO A FAN WHO TATTOOED THE WRESTLER’S PICTURE ON HIS SKIN. ARENA MEXICO by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2006. Digital color print
VOLADOR JR. (FLYER JR.) AND AV ERNO (HELL) IN AERIAL BATLLE. ARENA MEXICO by Rosalîo Vera Franco, 2006. Digital color print
PSICODÉLICO (PSYCHEDELIC) PUNISHES SANGRE AZTECA (AZTEC BLOOD) AT THE ARENA MÉXICO RING by Rosalío Vera Franco, 2006. Digital color print
SEXY PISCIS CAE SOBRE EL MISTERIOSO JR. EN LA ARENA AFICIÓN DE PACHUCA HIDALGO by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2004. Digital color print.
TRIUMPHANT EXIT OF SANTO, EL ENMASCARADO DE PLATA (SAINT, THE MAN OF THE SILVER MASK) INTHE ARENA MÉXICO by Arturo Ortega Navarrete, 1964. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Centro de Colecciones Arturo Ortega Navarrete, A.C.
EL SANTO (THE SAINT) WHILE SHOOTING SANTO CONTRA LA MAFIADEL VICIO (SAINT VERSUS THE VICEMAFIA) IN ACAPULCO, GUERRERO by an Unidentified Photographer, 1970. Digital print
A SCENE OF THE MASK VERSUS MASK FIGHT BETWEN EL SANTO (THE SAINT) AND BLACK SHADOW by Arturo Ortega Navarrete, 1952. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Centro de Colecciones Arturo OrtegaNavarrete, A.C.
HALLOWEEN. ARENA LÓPEZ MATEOS, TLALNEPANTLA by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2006. Digital color print.
CRAZY BOY ES AZOTADO EN LÁMPARASDE NEÓN POR JUVENTUD GUERRERAQUIEN ES AYUDADO POR HISTERIA YMOSCO DE LA MERCED EN DUELO POR EL CAMPEONATO DE PESO COMPLETO JR. by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2004. Digital color print.
HALLOWEEN. ARENA LÓPEZ MATEOS, TLALNEPANTLA by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2006.Digital color print
BLUE PANTHER AND MEPHISTO FIGHTING OFF THE RING IN ARENA MÉXICO. IN THE BACK, TELEVISION NARRATOR DR. ALFONSO MORALES by Miguel Muñoz Zao, 2004. Digital color print
SUPER ASTRO USES A BOSTON CRAB WITH FRONT FACE LOCK ON RUDY REYNA by an Unidentified Photographer, 1985. Gelatin silver vintage print, this copy comes from the files of the now out-of-print K.O.and Arena de Box y Lucha magazines
LA LOBA PLATEADA (THE SILVER WOLF) INTHE ARENA CÓRDOVA by John O’Leary, 1981. Gelatin silver.
IRMA GONZÁLEZ by Juan El charro Espinosa, 1960. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Christian Cymet Collection
LA BRIOSA (THE VIGOROUS) FEEDS HER SON by Lourdes Grobet, 1980. Cibachrome.
UNIDENTIFIED WRESTLER by an Unidentified Photographer, 1981. Gelatin silver vintage print, this copy comes from the files of the now out-of-print K.O.and Arena de Box y Lucha magazines.
EL FANTASMA DE LA ÓPERA (THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) by Juan El Charro Espinosa,1950. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Christian Cymet Collection
BUSINESSMAN SALVADOR LUTTEROTH TESTIFIES THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE MASK VERSUS MASK FIGHT BETWEEN EL SANTO (THE SAINT) AND BLACK SHADOW by Arturo Ortega Navarrete. 1952. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Centro de Colecciones Arturo Ortega Navarrete, A.C.
UNIDENTIFIED WRESTLER by an Unidentified Photographer. 1980. Gelatin silver vintage print, this copy comes from the files of the now out-of-print K.O.and Arena de Box y Lucha magazines
APOCALIPSIS (APOCALYPSE) SURROUNDED BY HIS FOLLOWERS IN THE ARENA CÓRDOVA by John O’Leary, 1981. Gelatin silver
TINIEBLAS JR. (DARKNESS JR.), ALUSHEAND TINIEBLAS (DARKNESS) by Lourdes Grobet, 1980. Cibachrome
RODOLFO EL CAVERNARIO (CAVEMAN)GALINDO IN HIS SHOE STORE by Arturo Ortega Navarrete, 1960. Gelatin silver contemporary print by John O’Leary from the original negative property of the Centro de Colecciones Arturo OrtegaNavarrete, A.C.
DANIEL GARCÍA HURACÁN (HURRICANE)RAMÍREZ AT HOME by Lourdes Grobet, 1982. Cibachrome
EL CAVERNÍCOLA (THE CAVEMAN) by Rosalío Vera Franco, 1991. Digital color print
PONZOÑA (POISONOUS) by Rosalío Vera Franco, 1991. Digital color print
FRAY TORMENTA (BROTHER STORM),WRESTLER AND PRIEST by Lourdes Grobet, 1980. Cibachrome

MOTION PICTURE CREDITS:

MAKING OF by Esther Girabet Massot/Orlando Jiménez, 2005. Video. Duration: 25 minutes
TIGER FIGHT CELEBRATIONS OF THE HOLY CROSS IN ZITLALA, GUERRERO by an Unidentified author, 2007. Video. Duration 2:15 min. Edition made of footage recorded in 2003Noticieros Televisa Archives
VS (VERSUS) by Demián Flores/Orlando Jiménez, 2005. Video. Duration: 14:53 minutes
SANTORAL (LIFE OF A SAINT) by Luis Lupone, 2005. Video. Duration: 14 minutes, 3 seconds. Editing of a series of films extracts starring Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata (Saint, The Man with the Silver Mask)