Tijuana through the Lens: Ingrid Hernández
Deeply shaped by the Mexican border, Ingrid Hernández marks 20 years of art. Her photography goes beyond documentation, turning Tijuana into a living canvas under construction
Image Center - Ministry of Culture of Mexico
Raquel Miguel Soto, Alfonso Navarrete, Ana Victoria Pichardo Cruz y Alejandro Zepeda
A practice in constant evolution
Ingrid Hernández, who for more than twenty years has developed a body of work marked by the notion of "under construction"
Ingrid Hernández. Compressed Tijuana. (2004) by Ingrid HernándezImage Center - Ministry of Culture of Mexico
Tijuana as Origin and Territory
This idea directly refers to Tijuana, his hometown and main source of experiences, where he has produced most of his work through media such as photography, graphic design, sculpture, and installation.
The City as Metaphor
In his work, it functions as a metaphor for a changing city, shaped by migration, self-construction, and the constant flow of people, objects, and materials.
Processes and Archives
Ingrid brings together thirteen projects created since 2003, alongside previously unseen works, archival materials, and research documents that offer insight into the processes behind the artist's practice.
Everyday elements—garage doors, fences, or walls—are transformed into symbols of the complex social and urban dynamics of the border.
Ingrid Hernández. Compressed Tijuana. (2004) by Ingrid HernándezImage Center - Ministry of Culture of Mexico
Ingrid Hernández for the Centro de la Imagen, 2026
“I started out thinking I was only photographing informal settlements and self-built housing, specifically in Tijuana, but as I progressed I realized that this form of construction isn't limited to the periphery.”
Based on this reflection, his work proposes a critical look at the ways in which urban spaces are built and inhabited, especially in contexts where precarity and creativity coexist.
The image reveals the use of materials not originally intended for housing construction, but adapted to new needs. This opens up multiple levels of analysis regarding creativity, necessity, and the environment.
A key image
One of Ingrid’s favorite images depicts the entrance to a home accessed by a staircase made of tires, with a door constructed from pieces of reclaimed wood and secured with a padlock, reinforcing the notions of boundary and belonging.
Museum room register (2026) by Elic HerreraImage Center - Ministry of Culture of Mexico
In her work, Ingrid seeks to create an intimate connection with the viewer. Beyond the rational, she proposes an emotional experience that invites a deeper engagement with the images.
Museum room register (2026) by Elic HerreraImage Center - Ministry of Culture of Mexico
The construction of cities in northern Mexico, as well as multiple personal stories: families who arrive, adapt and make a place their own.
You can reed more about in the Exhibition booklet.
Raquel Miguel Soto, Alfonso Navarrete, Ana Victoria Pichardo Cruz and Alejandro Zepeda
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.