Daniela Ruiz de Esparza  is a 24 year old visual artist based in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her work is dynamic and revolves around representations of herself and other women as a means of catharsis. She uses photography to depict her reality and her reflections on it.  

STATEMENT

As I change, so does the definition of my work. If I had to define my work two years ago, I would have written a completely different thing. At this moment in my life, I would say that it expresses the extraordinary in people and places, that I come across on a daily basis. I’ve found that my safe place is within me and around other women, and I truly think they are the source of inspiration for most of my work.

Everything works as a cycle; I started photographing silly stuff and my daily routine, then I started capturing women around me, and when I moved to a place that I didn’t know anyone, I went back to photographing my routine and myself. Analog photography has helped me in the process of becoming; I’m in love with the ritual, the unexpected, improvisation and uniqueness of each shot. I live in Mexico, and as any other country, it has it’s pretty and ugly side, unfortunately the bad side is becoming more and more prominent and thus it’s difficult to exist as a woman here, I’m obligated to see the pretty in the ugly and right now the personal seems more political than ever. 

I am afraid of the oblivious, I feel like everything vanishes and I need to be there to see it and capture it. Photography has helped me to have another perception of life and to become closer to those who I place in front of the camera; I’ve learnt to fall in love with strangers, objects and nature. My work is a self-exploration of my definition of beauty, catharsis and uniqueness.