Belleza Peruana (Peruvian Beauty) is a collection of over forty portraits by Peruvian photographer Yayo López. Throughout his career, López has traveled all over his country capturing female faces that in one way or another have attracted his attention - women of diverse ages and from a wide range of social and geographical backgrounds. He is very interested in the intrinsic concepts of beauty that determine how Peruvians perceive and value themselves and in addition, provide a very plural image of the nation’s identity.
“We have grown up in a racist and alienated society; in a country with imported models of beauty where female bodies are seen as objects. These impossible to reach beauty standards not only affect Peruvian womens’ self-esteem, but are also a form of violence against them” he says.
Presented in different venues in Peru and internationally, Belleza Peruana has become a reference for documentary photography in Peru as it represents the rich ethnic and cultural diversity of the Peruvian people.
For information on available prints from the series, please click here.