The aftermath of the Guatemalan Civil War was captured in pictures of family members holding pictures of their loved ones missing or dead, communities still trying to find joy amongst tragedy, and reconstruction in the form of marriages and funerals and are currently on display at LBCC.
The exhibit “Our Culture Our Resistance” currently ongoing at LBCC until Sept. 14 features the photographs that Jonathan Moller, photographer and civil right activist, took of victims and survivors of the Guatemalan Civil War from the years 1993 until 2001.
Moller has been living in Guatemala since 1993 when he decided to pick up a camera and take pictures of the people and lives of the Guatemalan and the indigenous Mayan population where 166,000 were left dead, and more missing.
“There are two parts of me, the artist, the photographer, and the activist and civil rights work in me,” Moller said.
The Guatemalan Civil War took place from 1960 through 1966, the devastation from the genocide would toll the Mayans and Guatemalan communities even now in present day.
The exhibit shows the way that the Guatemalan Civil War affected the lives of people and how many communities had to bounce back.
The exhibit includes photos of the land and mountainsides, people showing pictures of their loved ones that they had lost, and how through the pain and sadness, many people in these communities still refused to give up hope and continued to live their lives as time moved on.
Moller started his activism work by photographing archaeologists and anthropologists as they excavated artifacts and human remains.
He was moved by this venture and stayed in Guatemala to work and accompany at risk communities.
Although at first he was just photographing the bones and skulls of the Mayans and Guatemalans that were found during their explorations, he started to admire the culture and land around him.
What was supposed to be a short term job turned out to be his calling, so Moller stayed in Guatemala until later in 2001 when he returned to Denver where he is now based.
Although Moller doesn’t live in Guatemala anymore, he still travels back to Guatemala every year and keeps in contact with the different organizations that he worked with during this time.
He stated that there are two sides to him, the artist and photographer of him, and the activist in him.
These two sides of him intersect to help him create many beautiful exhibitions like “Our Culture, Our Resistance.”
When the art gallery manager Karla Aguiniga got the opportunity to bring this group to Long Beach City College, she said yes right away. She hopes that this exhibit will uplift the students here, especially the Latinx students here at Long Beach City College.
At Long Beach City College, 54% of the student body identifies as Latinx.
Although there are events for hispanic and mexican students here, Aguiniga stated that she hopes that this exhibit will touch the hearts of the students from Central America.
“One girl came in here and told me ‘this is my family’s story’ and that they emigrated here from Guatemala to escape the violence,” Aguiniga said.
She hopes that many LBCC students can see themselves or their family in these photographs.
“Even though Cambodia is almost on the other side of the world, Cambodia also faced a genocide around the same time and maybe Cambodian students can see the similarities,” Aguiniga said.
When talking to Moller, he stated that in his work he wants people to see more than just some photographs. He stated that the viewers see the work and start to think more about the history and lives of the people that he’s photographed.