In the world of bullfighting, "partir plaza" refers to the moment of tension before the bullfighter meets the animal he is about to fight. And just like a bull that is about to be exhibited in the ring, so felt the actress and vedette Maty Huitrón who, in 1953, starred in 'Cuando una mujer guapa parte plaza por Madero', a photographic series that, despite its subject matter, became a benchmark of twentieth century photography, recognized by UNESCO.
At that time, Maty Huitrón (Martina Guitrón Porto) was only 17 years old and had just received harsh criticism after her theatrical debut in 'Yo Colón'. Although starring Mario Moreno Cantinflas, the comedy-political play, which inaugurated the activities at the Teatro de los Insurgentes, left a significant bad taste in the mouths of the spectators. "Neither actress, nor vedette, nor singer, nor anything", that is what they thought about Maty without knowing that, that same year, she would embody the grace and beauty of the capital. She was admired not only in Mexico, but in the world.
After the disappointment of 'Yo Colón', the new actress caught the attention of the executives of Siempre magazine, which was about to launch its first edition. She would be portrayed by Nacho López (Ignacio López Bocanegra) who, by that time, was already an eminence in the field of photojournalism. However, the vedette had no idea of the situation to which the photographer would expose her in the name of artistic creation.
As an apprentice of Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Nacho López developed a style of photography that moved away from common places such as politics or the elite. He preferred to portray "common people" but on his own terms. More than half of his work is based on situations he created himself, with the intention of documenting the natural reactions of the environment. With Maty Huitrón it was like that: One morning in January he summoned her to the Centro Histórico to arrange the session; upon meeting her, he pretended to lose the photographic rolls and suggested she go ahead on Avenida Madero, while he "bought others". The hidden intention was for the beautiful woman to walk in the middle of the busy avenue, to arouse all kinds of comments and reactions among male passers-by. And, hidden in the shadows, there was Nacho Lopez immortalizing everything.
"Hey Nacho, don't measure yourself. You don't know everything they told me," the actress would claim about the experience. The result was a brief six-piece photo-essay, in which the prima donna's discomfort is evident as she receives leering comments and stares from at least five individuals. Despite the embarrassment, Huitrón would later justify the act by saying that, without the need to "undress, put on excessive make-up or become hyper-sexualized," her image became a success and brought her global recognition.
In 1957, the sequence 'Cuando una mujer guapa parte plaza por Madero' was recognized by UNESCO and exhibited in the subways of Paris and Munich. In 1980, Carlos Monsivaís used it as the cover of 'A ustedes les consta', an anthology of the chronicle of Mexico City, which describes the capital as "parrandera, libidinosa, chambeadora, bravera, holgazana, ritual and anarchic". In the new millennium it was declared one of the greatest photographic feats of the 20th century-it received a commemorative postage stamp. In 2016 the series was exhibited at the Palace of Fine Arts along with 234 other prints by Nacho López. Because of their cultural heritage status, the negatives are safeguarded at the National Museum of Anthropology.
After leaving Madero, Maty Huitrón had a prolific career in the world of entertainment. She was part of the golden age of Mexican cinema and, later, she was successfully integrated into television melodramas. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 82, due to a lung condition. But, before her success on the screen, the actress had already engraved her name with golden letters in the popular imagination, using only a pair of heels and a tight dress. An improvised instant that today is part of the history of photography in Mexico.
