Blog Post #3: Artist Wiki on Joana Toro

Joana Toro (in the selfie to the left) is a Colombian, self-taught, documentary photographer. She captures photos that highlight issues of immigration, human rights, and identity. Joana was born in Barranquilla, Columbia, and moved to Bogota (the capital) to study graphic design. However, after having completed just one semester she was forced to leave school due to an economic crisis that affected her family. Despite this, Joana decided to stay in Bogota where she held odd jobs, and was encouraged by friends to compile a portfolio of her photos to hopefully get a gig. Joana eventually taught herself all about photography as she got assignments and worked her way into newspapers and magazines. After 10 years of working in Colombia, Joana decided to migrate to the United States (New York City) in order to propel her career forward as both a documentarian and artist.  

 

 

In seeing how people treated immigrants -- not just in the streets of New York City but also across the United States, Joana began working on a project depicting the everyday life of character impersonators in the hopes of changing Latin immigrants' narrative and negative portrayals. In the series titled "Hello I Am Kitty," Joana Toro takes on a critical analysis and portrayal of Latin immigrants in the United States. Joana herself wore a Minnie Mouse costume and asked for donations in the streets of Times Square. In doing so, she lived through the experiences many other Latin immigrants faced on an everyday basis while trying to make a living. 

In an ongoing and notable series titled, "TransLatinas," Joana explores the challenges and resilience of  Latin transgender women in the portraits she captures of them in their homes. The women portrayed in this series reside in New York where they immigrated to from Central and South America. In their native home countries, these women faced psychological turmoil from discriminatory experiences and personal histories of sexual violence. The portraits of these strong women aim to depict them truthfully and as individuals who demand respect, not pity.  

Joana's work has been shown and recognized worldwide in overseas exhibitions. In the U.S., her works have appeared on reputable newspapers such as the New York Times, Witness magazine, and the Wall Street Journal to name a few. 

References:

- https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/i-am-hello-kitty/

- https://witness.worldpressphoto.org/foto-féminas-presents-joana-toro-6d7e74e1fc93

Personal Links: 

- http://www.joanatoro.com

- https://www.instagram.com/joanaphoto/