Louis Carlos Bernal

Louis Carlos Bernal (August 18, 1941 – August 18, 1993) was a Chicano American photographer whose works focused on social expression and developing a visual narrative, especially during the time of the Chicano Movement.

Life
Born in Douglas, Arizona, Bernal "grew up very aware of his identity and formed an interest in social justice and Chicanx pride"  because of the racism that he had to face. After coming to a realization that he had a passion for photography, Bernal attended Arizona State University, where he earned his Masters of Fine Art degree. Afterwards, he was offered a position to teach at Pima Community College in Tucson, where he continued to teach throughout the duration of his life while doing his own work. After many years, Bernal passed away in Tucson, Arizona on August 18, 1993.

Motivation behind his work
Bernal's works grew from simply wanting to embrace his identity, to delving deeper into Chicano culture and community. He was considered to be the father of Chicano photography, because he was one of the first to approach his work as both a Chicano and an artist. Bernal's works and narratives centered on capturing people in their most intimate and humble surroundings. The collaborative book Louis Carlos Bernal: Barrios comprises both essays from people who knew Bernal personally and some of his photographs and series. Each essay mentions how Bernal put his emotions into his photos, as a way to emphasize the importance of the community ones grows up in, and the inability for a person to isolate themself from their upraising.

Bernal's works contributed heavily to the Chicano Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. One of his most popular series, Barrios, encapsulates the different aspects that comprise Chicanx identity. It contains 30 photographs that focus on the people and objects in subject's homes and surroundings. These were taken in the Southwest and rather than the photos being viewed as a sort of documentation of the Chicanx lifestyle, it opened up the concept of interpretation. When looking at Chicanx art overall, it is possible for different interpretations to arise when looking at Bernal's style in comparison to the arts of social movements, protests, and politics.

Online collections and archives
To view some of Bernal's works and collections, such as Barrios, they can be found through online collections and archives such as:


 * Center for Creative Photography, Arizona Arts, University of Arizona
 * San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)