Sergio Larrain

Sergio Larrain (1931-2012, born in Santiago, Chile) began taking photographs in the streets of Santiago and Valparaiso after studying at the University of California, Berkeley; the early purchase of two images by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, reassured him in his chosen profession. After presenting a project on los abandonados (street children in Santiago) to Henri Cartier-Bresson, he was invited to join Magnum Photos in 1960; around this time, he also began what would become a legendary...See more

Sergio Larrain (1931-2012, born in Santiago, Chile) began taking photographs in the streets of Santiago and Valparaiso after studying at the University of California, Berkeley; the early purchase of two images by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, reassured him in his chosen profession. After presenting a project on los abandonados (street children in Santiago) to Henri Cartier-Bresson, he was invited to join Magnum Photos in 1960; around this time, he also began what would become a legendary project on Valparaiso with a text by poet Pablo Neruda. Unsure if he was suited to working for the press, Larrain retreated to the Chilean countryside, dedicating himself to yoga, meditation, and drawing until his death in 2012. See less