Photography captures a moment in time, a look, an expression, that may have gone unnoticed in the whirl of ongoing time. It preserves that moment so that perhaps that seemingly inconsequential slice of history has great consequence. Perhaps looking back at that moment, seeing it in black and white, can serve as a catalyst to make needed societal changes. And adding a powerful photograph like this one to your collection will make you feel a sense of connection to the artist, the subject, the complicated, heart-wrenching issues, and even make you feel empowered to become part of the incendiary spark to create change. It’s not merely a pretty trifle for your wall, but a picture that is hard and true and speaks volumes.
Ada Trillo’s black and white photograph, Loss of Hope, measuring 32×18, depicts a young girl, Sandra, from Guatemala who hopes to be reunited with her father in Alabama. Along with other family members, she was arrested at the US Border Patrol, requested asylum, and was returned to Juarez under the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. While in US custody, Sandra describes horrifying experiences, including abuse by guards, lack of food, and intolerable cold.
Ada Trillo is a documentary photographer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Juarez, Mexico. She holds degrees from the Instituto Marangoni in Milan and Drexel in Philadelphia. She has exhibited internationally, and her work has been featured in prestigious magazines including Smithsonian. She was recently awarded a CFEVA Fellowship by the Center for Emerging Visual Artists and was named Visual Artist-In-Residence for Fleischer Art Memorial in Philadelphia. Her work is included in the permanent collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.