Biography

Cristina de Middel is a Spanish photographer born in 1975, currently residing between Mexico and Brazil. Her work explores the ambiguous relationship between photography and truth, blending documentary and conceptual practices to challenge traditional narratives. After a decade-long career as a photojournalist, de Middel gained international acclaim in 2012 with her series The Afronauts. This project reenacts the story of a failed 1960s Zambian space program, using staged photographs to question the conventional portrayal of the African continent. In 2017, de Middel was nominated to Magnum Photos, becoming an associate member in 2019 and a full member in 2022. That same year, she was elected as the agency's president. Throughout her career, de Middel has received numerous accolades, including the PhotoFolio Review at the Rencontres d'Arles in 2012, the Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography in 2013, and Spain's National Photography Award in 2017. Her diverse body of work includes projects like Gentlemen's Club, focusing on the clients of sex workers, and Journey to the Center, which examines migration routes through Mexico, drawing inspiration from Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. De Middel's innovative approach continues to challenge and expand the boundaries of contemporary photography.