Meet the Artist
Janine Mapurunga, Lead Artist
Artist Janine Mapurunga working on an altar in honor of her grandmother for Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) at the Latino Center of Art and Culture in Sacramento, California.
I was raised by grandma in a small town in the Brazilian countryside, where she ran a hostel in our family home for 45 years. My entrepreneurial grandma was very creative and I grew up surrounded by all things handmade (intricate recipes, embroidery, crochet, sewing, ceramics and painting), values that imprinted on me and inform my work as an artist. I got my first camera at age 10, a Christmas gift from my grandma, and I have been photographing since.
My grandma died suddenly in the early stages of production of Bien Juntitos. She was 92 years old. My grandma was my biggest supporter and her wisdom continues to guide me. For 20 years I created an archive of still photographs, video and audio interviews that capture a way of life that has gone extinct with the passing of my grandma and those of her generation. Some of these materials are seen in the Bien Juntitos film.
I am a documentary photographer working in community since 2003. I was a curious child and as a teenager I became interested in culture. My undergrad work is in photography and cultural anthropology from Sacramento City College and UC Davis. My graduate studies focus on visual culture, artistic production, and research at the University of Barcelona. I have developed community-focused art projects in the US and abroad. Community engagement is at the core of what I do. Documentation and visual storytelling are second nature to me.
I first met the Manitos y Manitas del Sur in 2019 while working on Well Together: Portraits of Community, a City of Sacramento public art project in the Meadowview neighborhood. The elders welcomed me with open arms, frequently inviting me to their meetings and events after that project was completed. This was the beginning of a friendship that I cherish in my heart. They asked me to help them tell their story and I am honored to do so.
Behind the scenes images of Artist Janine Mapurunga working with the Manitos.