Cover Photo By Cory Rice
Photo By Cory Rice
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Each month, Tatler invites photographers to introduce their favourite image. This month we have street and documentary photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani, whose works capture the intersection of labour and human rights
Xyza Cruz Bacani is known for her black and white photographs, but her favourite shot is surprisingly in vibrant colour. Hues of green, purple and blue fill her untitled shot, which she describes as something that emits sheer “delight and tenderness”. The image shows her nieces running on a field of lavender with smiles on their faces.
“Among thousands of images in my archive, [this one] reminds me to be tender, to love and be loved,” she tells Tatler. “It is a reminder of the gift of being fully present because tomorrow is never promised.”
In case you missed it: How Former Domestic Helper Xyza Cruz Bacani Became A World Class Photographer
Above A photo by Xyza Cruz Bacani
A photo by Xyza Cruz Bacani
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Bacani, who used to be a domestic helper in Hong Kong, was naturally drawn to subjects like labour and human rights. Because of her works, the photographer was granted a Human Rights Fellowship by the Magnum photographic agency, allowing her to move to New York and enrol at the prestigious New York University Tisch School of Arts.
“As an artist, I strive to tell stories often unseen and unheard of. I love capturing the tenderness of the human experience,” she says. Bacani travels extensively to collect stories and memories that “speak to the heart of human existence”.
More from Tatler: Lessons From A Professional Photographer: Xyza Cruz Bacani
For Bacani, the only way to present her work is by confronting her mortality and having a better relationship with time. “When the world paused in 2020, I began to see myself as an ancestor. I focused on the present, the only moment guaranteed to us in this lifetime.”
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
