Tate Photography: Laura Aguilar

"Women taking ownership of their bodies and allowing forgiveness of self as a form of healing is one of the ways in which I have approached my work. It is as much a formal experiment as it is a societal gift." Laura Aguilar (1959–2018) was a trailblazing Chicana artist and photographer, best known for her images that explore ideas of beauty and the female form in relation to nature and place. In the 1980s and 1990s, she experimented with portraiture and text to give visibility to a range of perspectives from Latinx and LGBTQ communities around Los Angeles. She later began using her naked body as a subject, adopting photography as a medium to empower herself and find her place among diverse interests and intersecting identities. Her images have been increasingly exhibited and praised since a major retrospective in the United States launched in 2017. This publication showcases works from different photographic series that made Aguilar one of the most influential artists of her generation. It also includes one of her previously unpublished artist statements.