José Galvez, a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist and former Tucsonan, published his latest book, “Shine Boy” in September with wife Anne Galvez. In honor of his latest endeavor, his work was exhibited at La Pilita Museum, 420 S. Main Ave., last month. Galvez’s new book was displayed, as the gallery walls were covered with his trademark black and white framed photos of various Latino communities throughout the U.S.
Galvez, who considers himself a street photographer, has gained national recognition for his photographic interest in the Latino community.
“My style is very street photography mode. I cruise the streets, walk the sidewalks or fiestas. I don't pose people, although many times I ask them to hold the pose on what they are doing,” Galvez said.
His wife Anne, who collaborated with Galvez on “Shine Boy”, encouraged him to write the book.
“I have always wanted to write down my life’s story and she suggested that I take a period of my life and focus on that,” Galvez said. “Those little stories made me into what I became. The book is hopefully an inspiration story that all can enjoy, especially families with children.”
The book is composed of Galvez’s memories that have driven his lifelong work documenting Latino communities in the United States. Throughout the book, stories are accompanied by photographs that help communicate his perspective to all audiences.
“There's not too many Latino photographers doing what I've been doing for so long,” he said. “Yes, there's a lot of work being done on Latinos, and a lot of fine work by Latinos. Many of them are employed by newspapers or agencies. I'm out there on my own and doing it with history in mind.
“I hope to leave a body of work that spans decades that'll say this is who we are, this is where we came from and this is where we're going,” he said.
Galvez is not new to the publishing world. He was a staff photographer for the Arizona Daily Star and the Los Angeles Times, and collaborated on the book “Vatos” with Luis Alberto Urrea, published in 2000. “Shine Boy”, however, is his first published work on his life’s history as a photojournalist.
In the coming months, Galvez will be traveling to promote his book in Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma. He also has an installation being built in Las Cruces, N.M., and an exhibition in Greenville, N.C. Galvez also anticipates a major exhibition at the Museum of History in Raleigh, N.C., in 2011. In between traveling and promoting, Galvez and his wife will be working on their next book.
Galvez’s next visit to Tucson will be in December to attend the book sale at the Arizona History Museum, 949 E. Second St., on Dec. 4 and 5.
