PhD in Economics and Franco Mexican photographer. Colette Urbajtel arrived in Mexico in 1959 as part of a Franco Mexican cultural exchange program to pursue her doctoral research. The following year she met Manuel Álvarez Bravo, a decisive encounter for her life and for her deep connection with photography. From 1969 to 1988 she worked actively at the Fondo Editorial de la Plástica Mexicana, collaborating with key figures in the country’s art and photography scene. She held three exhibitions at this institution in 1980, 1990 and 2007, and her work has also been presented in cities such as New York, Paris, London, California, Beijing, Shanghai, Kyoto and Yokohama. Her photography is a subtle contemplation of everyday life, where the simplest reality becomes an enigma. Each image opens a space for doubt, curiosity and silent emotion. Her gaze turns what is near into a lasting revelation.

“As a child I would cut or compose scenes and objects in the street or anywhere. I believe composition is innate and personal in every photographer. I have seen dramatic scenes and magnificent landscapes. I avoid images that are too cruel or too sentimental. Thinking back on my youth, I feel relieved to have lived away from the horrors of the world and to have left economics for photography. Destiny or coincidence? My photos show quiet places, small events sometimes amusing or ironic, plants, animals and even insects I photograph what surrounds me or what I encounter when I go out. I only press the shutter driven by an irresistible impulse, because I believe a simple glance does not always make a good photograph. Composition is instinctive.” — Colette Urbajtel