Xavier Tavera

photography / portfolio development / creative production

Xavier Tavera is a conscientious and thought-provoking photographer born in Mexico City in 1971 and based in Minneapolis since 1996. Renowned for his compelling and nuanced portraits, Tavera has dedicated his career to documenting people from all walks of life, with a special focus on the Latino community. His portraits challenge conventional notions of race, gender, and class by subverting stereotypes and capturing the humor, complexity, and humanity inherent in personal identity. Through his lens, viewers are invited to confront their own assumptions, biases, and prejudices, creating opportunities for reflection and dialogue.

Deeply committed to storytelling, Tavera crafts images that go beyond the surface to reveal the rich narratives of his subjects’ lives. His approach draws inspiration from photographers such as August Sander, Edward Weston, and Diane Arbus, using environmental details and symbolic objects to build layered, meaningful compositions. Similarly, his work resonates with the visual traditions of Mexican photographers Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Hector Garcia, and Enrique Metinides, offering a sensitive and authentic exploration of Mexican and Latino-American identities. While rooted in these cultural expressions, Tavera’s work extends more broadly to examine the immigrant experience, capturing the resilience, diversity, and evolving culture of communities that define contemporary society.

QUALIFICATIONS

Xavier Tavera is an accomplished photographer with extensive experience in creating powerful, narrative-driven portraits that illuminate cultural and social issues. He is highly skilled in multimedia software applications, enabling him to produce polished and technically sophisticated work across various formats. As a dedicated community organizer, Tavera has a history of using art as a platform to foster dialogue, build connections, and advocate for underrepresented voices.

In addition to his practice as a working artist, Tavera is an experienced educator and teaching artist. He has taught photography and visual arts at Carleton College, where he shares his knowledge, technical expertise, and commitment to socially engaged art with the next generation of artists. His teaching reflects his passion for empowering students to use visual storytelling as a means of exploring identity, culture, and community.

SKILLS

  • DSLR camera operation

  • lens applications

  • portraiture photography

  • institutional navigation

  • exhibition

  • installation art practices

Teaching / work experience

  • 20 years as photography mentor for In progress

  • visual arts professor at Carleton College

  • internationally recognized photographer and installation artist

LINKS