I began the project Sacred/Sagrado: Festivals of Mexico in 2011, and since then, I have traveled to communities to document traditions that are part of the fabric of Mexican culture. The term “sacred” invokes two distinct definitions of the word: that which is holy, and that which is a cherished part of the life of a community. Though all the festivals I have photographed relate to the religious calendar, some of the images celebrate the deeply held beliefs of the Catholic faith while others portray a profound sense of tradition, identity, and community that is every bit as keenly felt.
Jenna Mulhall-Brereton's work is rooted in the documentary tradition, and she most often shoots in black and white. For her, this distills what is most essential in an image—a graphic quality, a gesture, a subtle expression, a quality of light. She maintains a deep and abiding love of film and prints her images by hand in an analog darkroom. Her photographs have appeared in exhibitions throughout the US and abroad and in a variety of publications, including the book Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment (Aperture: 2015).
