Mauricio Palos  (born 1981 San Luis Potosí, Mexico) Documentalist and cultural promoter, works mainly in North and South America.

His work explores a variety of topics related to human rights, historical memory related to political crises and land conflicts. His first book My Perro Rano, Chronicles of Central America, was published in 2010 by Editorial RM with the support of the Ford Foundation and the National Fund for Arts and Culture in Mexico. My Perro explores the causes that drive millions of Central American immigrants to search for a better life by embarking on one of the most dangerous trips to be made in the Americas, the book was chosen as one of the best photobooks of 2011 by the British Journal of Photography.

Normally he is producing projects of personal initiative that are published as zines, newspapers and photographic books, he is also constantly experimenting with his audiovisual production. 

His work in the media began in 2003 when he joined the newspaper La Jornada San Luis in his hometown as a photographer, where he worked as a staff and collaborator until 2007.

Subsequently, his work has been published in Der Spiegel, Volkskrant , Lufthansa Magazine, City Wire London, Glamor, Colors Magazine, Footer, Process, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Courier International, Gatopardo, Roads and Kingdoms, The Globe and Mail, Terra Mater, the editorial Gruner & Jaar and has worked closely with international agencies such as Getty Images and Bloomberg.

He is currently a fellow of the National System of Creators in Mexico from FONCA and his work has been exhibited at festivals around the world. Palos is based in the north of Mexico, in the city of San Luis Potosí.

Palos holds a B.B.M. by the Universidad del Valle de Mexico and a Marketing expert diploma by the Universidad Europea de Madrid.

Film work

2018 - El Sabedor, 10,39 min, Color digital 


2017 – La Ley del Monte, 15:13 min, Color digital


2015 - State of Censorship, Interactive web-doc film


2010 - En Algún Lugar, 28 min, Color mini DV


Selected Exhibitions

2019 - Is This Tomorrow, NOUVELLES ÉCRITURES DOCUMENTAIRES. Images Singulières. Sète, France.  29 May - 16 June. -collective-

2018 - Fotofria. Centro de la Imagen. Mexico -collective-

2018 - Attacks on the Press: Mexico. Bronx Documentary Center. NY, USA -collective-

2018 - Attacks on the Press: Mexico. Photoville, NY. USA -collective-

2018 - La Ley del Monte. Centro Fotografico Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Oaxaca -solo show-

2017– La Ley del Monte. Centro de la Imagen. México. -solo show-

2017 – Post Barbarie. Museo de Arte Contemporaneo. San Luis Potosi, Mexico - solo show-

2016- Mexico Megalopolis. Fotofestival Knnoke Heist. Belgica -collective-

2015 - 365 por los 43: Hasta las paredes saben, Casa del Hijo del Ahuizote. Mexico City, Mexico -collective-

2015 - Aquí nos vemos. Fotografía en América Latina 2000-2015. Centro Cultural Kirchner. Buenos Aires, Argentina. -collective-

2015 - Develar y detonar. Fotografía en México, ca. 2015. Centro Cibeles. Madrid, Spain. -collective-

2015 - The New Photojournalism, VICE Photo Annual Exhibition, Phi Centre. Montreal, Canada -collective-

2014 - Miradas, Mexican Contemporary Photographers, Bronx Documentary Center, Bronx, NY -collective-

2014 – Acciones Territoriales, Ex Teresa Arte Actual. Mexico DF. -collective-

2013 - Umbrales 1.5: fotografía mexicana. [CdF] Fotogalería Prado. Montevideo, Uruguay. -collective-

2011 – Peso y Levedad. Instituto Cervantes. Photoespaña. Madrid, España. -collective-

2011 – Museos Modernidad en Transito. Museo de America. Madrid, España. -collective-

2011 – Laberinto de Miradas. Tabacalera. Madrid, España. -collective-

2010 – “3 Color, Fotografía Mexicana Contemporánea” 320° Art, Cultural, Educational and Technical Center, Siofók, Hungría. -collective-

Selected Awards

2019 - Is This Tomorrow, shortlisted at Arles 2019 Book Award. Arles, Le Recontres de la photographie. Francia

2018 - Sistema Nacional de Creadores. Fonca, Conaculta. Mexico

2017– Foto Fria. Arts and HumanitiesResearch Council (AHRC) of the United Kingdom. UK

2016- Honorable mention. XIV Photography Biennal. Centro de la Imagen. Mexico City, Mexico

2016 - State photography award SECULT. San Luis Potosí. SLP, Mexico

2013 - Young Creators Grant, Fonca, Conaculta. Mexico

2010 – Mencion de honor. XIV Photography Biennal. Centro de la Imagen. Mexico City, Mexico

2010 - Portfolio review and exhibition selected for Trasatlantica, Photoespaña. Madrid, Spain

2010 - Honorable mention. Cultural journalism award Fernando Benitez FIL. Guadalajara, Mexico

2010 - IIE Grant, Ford Foundation. Mexico - USA.


Selected Publications

2018 - Is This Tomorrow. Casa del Ahuizote. Mexico

2016– La Familia Hernandez de Guerrero y Queens. Newsprint. Mexico

2014 - Shallow Graves, Empty Stretch Press. USA

2013 - Legal Aliens, Straylight Press, Canada

2011 - Peso y Levedad, exhibition catalogue at Photoespaña, La Fabrica, España

2010 - My Perro Rano: Crónicas de Centroamérica, Editorial RM, Mexico / Barcelona

Using Format