Irving Villegas (b. 1982) is a Mexican photographer based in Hanover, Germany. He studied photojournalism and documentary photography at University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hannover.
His photographic work is characterized by a precise documentary approach that reflects social and cultural issues in a poetic and artistic way.
His work has been published in renowned media outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel. He has received several grants, including the VG Bild-Kunst scholarship in 2023 for his project "läuft und läuft," which was selected for the "Descubrimientos 2024" portfolio reviews at PhotoEspaña and by the Freundeskreis des Hauses der Photographie in Hamburg this year. Additionally, his project "Work far away" won the PhotOn Festival Award in 2014 in Valencia, Spain.
Villegas' work has also been awarded on numerous occasions, and he has been a finalist in several international competitions. His works have been exhibited at major events such as the Derby Foto Festival (UK), the Kolga Tbilisi Photo Festival, and the PhotOn Festival in Valencia (Spain), and they have been featured as projections at Slideluck Cortona On the Move in Italy and Encontros da Imagem in Portugal.
Awards
-2024 Selected for Descubrimientos PhotoEspaña. Santander, Spain with the project „Läuft und Laüft“.
-2024 Selected for Portfolio Review by Freundeskreis Photographie,Deichtorhallen Hamburg with the project „Läuft und Laüft“.
-2023 VG Bild-Kunst Project Grant Stiftung Kulturwerk, with the project „Läuft und Laüft“.
- 2014 PhotOn Festival Award (Photojournalist Festival in Valencia, Spain) with the project „Working far away“.
- 2014 Honorable Mention at Perugia Social Photo Fest (Perugia , Italy) with the project „Working far away“.
- 2014 Finalist in Emergentes dst Award at Encontros da Imagen in Braga, Portugal. with the project „Working far away“.
- 2010 Finalis in the cover magazine contest. "Titelbilder-Wettbewerb 2010 PP" Photopresse Magazine , Germany.
- 2009 Honorary Mention " in the 8. International Barnack Biennales 2009 , Lynow, Germany.
- 2009 Finalis in the cover magazine contest. "Titelbilder-Wettbewerb 2009 PP"Photopresse Magazine , Germany.
- 2006 First and second place in diferents categories in National Geographic competition"Luces de America 2006, Mexico.
Exhibitions
-Upcoming Januar 2025 Real Dance Festival, Hannover Germany.
- 2023 "Recordar es vivir - Erinnern ist Leben" exhibition at Kwartier Nord Galerie, October. Hannover Germany.
2023 „Recordar es vivir - Erinnern ist Leben“ exhibition at Kunstverein Hannover, October. Hannover Germany.
- 2020 "Tag der Toten" exhibition at Metavier Galerie, October. Hannover Germany.
- 2015 „Working far away“ exhibition at „Triennial of Photography Hamburg“ .June. Hamburg, Germany.
- 2015 "Working far away" exhibition at "Kolga Tbilisi photo Festival" .May. Tbilisi. Georgien.
- 2015 "Working far away" exhibition at "Photon Festival" .May. Valencia. Spain
- 2015 "Working far away" exhibition at "Focus photography Festival" .March. Mumbai, India.
- 2011 Format Festival (Derby/ UK) The artworks was commissioned by collectives encounter's currator Yasmina Reggad for an exhibition during the Format festival in Derby.
- 2010 Gymnaka Photo España 2010 (Madrid,Spain)
- 2006 "Expofotoperiodismo", Museo de la ciudad de Mexico.
- 2006 "71 Imagenes"Centro cultural AROC Mexico.
Projections:
- 2015 "Working far away" at Slideluck CORTONA ON THE MOVE. Cortona, Italy,July 2015
- 2015 "Working far away" Night Projection at Encontros da Imagen. September. Braga, Portugal