About

Emily Matyas is a photographer whose interests combine family relations, women’s issues, sociology and psychology. She began her career as a journalist, then moved on to fine art. Her work includes intimate settings in Mexico, Europe and the U.S. Most of her imagery is figurative, utilizing her immediate family, friends and herself. Her monograph of life in rural Mexico, Sol y Tierra/Sun and Earth (Daylight Books 2019) spans 30 years. In her personal work, I Am My Ancestors, she explores issues of cultural identity and immigration by photographing herself as her grandmother. Her latest project, The Mother Line, concentrates on relationships between mothers and daughters from a wide variety of backgrounds. She received her MFA in photography from Arizona State University in 2002, taught at the college level for several years and has led many youth workshops. Her images are widely exhibited and collected. She is the recipient of three Julia Margaret Cameron Awards.