Acapulco 1877

Eadweard Muybridge created this albumen print of Acapulco during an expedition through Central America and Mexico in the 1870s. Muybridge, an Englishman who spent most of his career in the United States, was commissioned to document the region's landscape and industries. In this photograph, we see a serene view of Acapulco's harbor. However, Muybridge's work needs to be understood within the context of 19th-century colonialism and expansionism. While seemingly objective, his photographs played a role in shaping perceptions of these regions, often reinforcing romanticized or exoticized views for Western audiences. The presence of the church steeple implies cultural conversion and the dominance of certain value systems. What is included, and what is excluded? The aesthetic choices in this image invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in the act of representation and consider whose stories remain untold in this seemingly tranquil scene.