“I entered photojournalism believing really strongly that photography could change the world. And then I realized that actually, if you want to change the world with photography, first you have to change photography. And that eventually, you can change the world with the new photography.” —Cristina De Middel
Cristina De Middel (b. 1975) is an award-winning photographer born in Spain and now based in Mexico. Trained as a fine artist, De Middel soon moved into photojournalism and is represented by Magnum Photos. However, frustrated by the narrow focus of photojournalism, she turned to fine art photography in order to open wider doors of expression and impact in her work. She launched to acclaim in 2012 with her Afronauts series.
In this wide-ranging interview with Paris Photo, De Middel discusses her background and approach to her work, the development of several of her recent series, and the importance of humor in her work.