Jacob Sigala
(USA)Jacob Sigala is a Los Angeles–born, Mexican-raised photographer and filmmaker whose work explores identity, place, and the socioeconomic forces that shape our movement through the world. Rooted in the belief that travel expands perspective and brings cultures closer, his work spans documentary observations to abstract, interpretive pieces of people and place. Through photographs and short-form films, he creates moments of presence–spaces for viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with a scene or with each other. His practice is guided by curiosity, sincerity, and a deep belief in storytelling as a way to understand the human experience better.
ConnectThe Real Portrait of America
History often remembers figures of “great importance” through elegant portraits hung in gilded frames. These paintings, usually of the wealthy, powerful or influential people who could afford to commission an artist, overlook the everyday workers who form society’s foundation. This project flips the frame, literally and figuratively, by elevating the stories of U.S. immigrants. The portrait series will photograph these immigrants in their work uniforms, styled with the same noble, idealized aesthetic of Victorian portraits and framed in gold, placing everyday laborers in their rightful place in history.
