Nicaragua: Susan Meiselas
Susan Meiselas, born in Baltimore in 1948, is a New York-based documentary photographer renown for her compelling visual storytelling.
She earned a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in visual education from Harvard University. Her career took off with the publication of Carnival Strippers in 1976, the same year she joined Magnum Photos. Since 2007, she has served as President of the Magnum Foundation.
Recognised for her contributions to photography, Meiselas has received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize, and the inaugural Women in Motion Award from Kering and Rencontres d’Arles.
Photobook: Nicaragua June 1978–July 1979
First published in 1981 and now available in its third edition, Nicaragua stands as a landmark in the realm of socially engaged photography also known as concerned photography.
Concerned photography is a term used to describe photography that aims to raise awareness of social, political, or humanitarian issues. It is often associated with documentary and photojournalistic work that seeks to evoke empathy, inspire action, or expose injustices. The term was popularised by photographer Cornell Capa, (younger brother or Robert Capa) who founded the International Center of Photography (ICP) in 1974 to champion the work of photographers dedicated to social causes.
This compelling photobook, subtitled June 1978–July 1979, offers a vivid and deeply human portrayal of Nicaragua during a time of intense political upheaval. Through her lens, Meiselas captures the unraveling of the Somoza dictatorship and the rise of the Sandinista revolution, creating an unflinching visual narrative of resistance and change.
What sets this book apart is not just its striking imagery but the depth of its storytelling. Interwoven with Meiselas’s photographs, are interviews with revolutionaries, letters, poems, and statistical data – elements that enrich the viewer’s understanding of the era. Over the decades, Meiselas has continued to expand upon and contextualise her work, bridging past and present in an ongoing dialogue with history.
The latest edition introduces an innovative layer of engagement: QR codes link thirty images to excerpts from Pictures from a Revolution (1991) and Reframing History (2004), two documentary projects in which Meiselas revisits the individuals and locations she once photographed. This multimedia approach extends the book’s reach beyond static imagery, inviting reflection on the shifting meanings of photographs over time.
In an insightful interview with Kristen Lubben (executive director of the Magnum Foundation) Meiselas discusses the continued relevance of her work, the ethics of photographic documentation, and the ways in which these images have been revisited, circulated, and returned to their communities.
With 128 pages and 75 carefully curated images, this new edition of Nicaragua is a testament to the power of photography as both historical record and catalyst for discourse. Meiselas’s work remains as urgent and evocative today as when it was first published, challenging us to reconsider the evolving nature of memory, history, and visual testimony.
You can read more about the book on the Aperture website. Or see more of her work on her website.