Eroticism, Dignity and a Crucifix

In his series ‘Flesh Life’ (1997), US-American photographer Joseph Rodriguez confronts the contradictions of life in Mexico City – with a particular focus on the La Merced district, which had the capital’s highest crime rates at the time.

The protagonists depicted in these startlingly intimate black and white images are people who are deeply rooted in their Catholic faith, but also live in a clandestine world of sexual adventures. In the exhibition of gelatin silver prints (on view at Cologne’s Bene Taschen Gallery until June 10, 2023), families, sex workers and trans sex workers are portrayed in contrasting scenes – conveying the juxtaposition between the city’s booming sex trade and strict religious beliefs.

To create this series, Rodriguez delved into the hidden layers of the metropolis, capturing intimate moments which – despite the difficult circumstances that surround them – are infused with dignity and beauty. The photographer describes himself as a humanist: with great sensitivity and respect, he manages to gain deeply personal insights into the lives and realities of those he portrays.