Revelations: New Perspectives on Sophie Rivera
Please join us at El Museo Del Barrio for a two-panel symposium bringing together artists, scholars, and historians to examine the life, work, and lasting impact of pioneering photographer Sophie Rivera. On the occasion of the upcoming monograph, Sophie Rivera: Double Exposures (Aperture, 2026), and the coinciding exhibition of the same title, the program will explore Rivera’s contributions to Nuyorican visual culture, feminist photography, and the politics of self-representation in New York from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Moderated by Elizabeth Ferrer and Marcela Guerrero, the panels will feature Elisabeth Sherman, Deanna Ledezma, Serda Yalkin, Martha Naranjo Sandoval, Mara Corsino, and Daniel Ramos, who will reflect on Rivera’s legacy across feminist photography, portraiture, and contemporary artistic practice. The evening concludes with a special dance activation inspired by Rivera’s Halloween series (1986–1987), bringing to life these “fantasied portraits” through movement, costume, and performance.
To learn more about this symposium and to register, see here.
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Image: Sophie Rivera, New York City school system, Liberation News Service, January 11, 1977; from Sophie Rivera: Double Exposures (Aperture, 2026). Copyright © and courtesy the Estate of Martin Hurwitz.
Sophie Rivera (1938–2021; born in New York) was an artist and photographer of Puerto Rican descent. A participant in various feminist and women’s artist groups, she was also a member and instructor at En Foco, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to US-based photographers of diverse cultures. Rivera is best known for her Latino Portrait series, which helped redefine Puerto Rican identity in the United States.
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