Leo Matiz

Considered the pioneer of Colombian photography, Leo Matiz (Aracataca, Colombia, 1917 – Bogotá, 1998) was named in 1949 as one of the ten most prestigious photographers of his time. Not in vain did he work for Paris Match, Momentos, Life, and Reader's Digest magazines during his travels across the United States and later in his country to cover "El Bogotazo" (Bogotazo), alongside Gabriel García Márquez. His photography witnessed the most significant events in Colombian history. Great historical figures such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Siqueiros, Orozco, Marc Chagall, Celia Cruz, María Félix, Esther Williams, Luis Buñuel, Fidel Castro, and Tina Modotti, among others, passed through his lens, leaving us a legacy considered one of the most important visual and historical records of the 20th century in Colombia and Latin America. Leo Matiz's photographs are versatile and varied in their subject matter: his collection ranges from abstract compositions and images of nature to portraits of celebrities, artists and politicians, and of farmers, fishermen, artisans, and popular musicians.