Beyond a shared passion for photography, the work of Daniel Martínez and Leo de la O reveals multiple points of convergence—similar creative intentions and interconnected conceptual frameworks.

Daniel seeks to reflect emotional states through social photography, primarily portraiture, as a means to delve into the psyche of his subjects. His goal is not to individualize them, but rather to transform them into prototypes that reflect specific social patterns, inviting viewers to see themselves indistinctly in each figure. His recurring themes revolve around psychosocial phenomena born from a society marked by abandonment, loneliness, suffering, and despair. He uses carefully chosen objects and a calculated play of light and shadow to construct a psychological atmosphere that resonates with each human subject portrayed.

Leo de la O draws from memory and reshapes it through mixed media techniques. His creative process begins with digital manipulation of a primary photograph—layering archival images and culminating in painterly interventions, where thick strokes of color are applied to the composition. His intent to decontextualize the central image and imbue it with new meaning results in a perceptual game for the viewer, who may find fragments of their own story woven into the layered narratives within each piece.

The photographed subject, the photographer, the artist who reimagines the image, and the viewer become a heteronymic entity, co-constructing a shared reality shaped by personal and collective imaginaries.

“We want the portrait to be the protagonist... to evoke the sensation of rediscovering an image that already belongs to a memory, one that already holds a story.”