Martha Naranjo Sandoval has released her highly anticipated debut photo book "Small Death," a deeply personal exploration of immigrant identity and belonging in America. The photographer, who relocated from Mexico City to New York in 2014, spent a decade crafting this intimate visual narrative that examines what it means to reinvent oneself in a foreign country.
The book, published by Mack, represents the culmination of Sandoval's ten-year journey through American immigrant life. Drawing from an extensive archive of over 550 rolls of film, she carefully selected images that capture the fragmented experience of cultural transition. "You die a little when you emigrate. The person that you were no longer exists," Sandoval explained, describing the central theme that gives the book its title.
Since arriving in New York just two years after graduating from film school, Sandoval has become an integral part of the city's vibrant photography community. She currently works as library manager at the International Center of Photography, oversees projects for Dashwood, and operates her own publishing house, Matarile Ediciones. Her daily exposure to others' photographic work has deeply influenced her understanding of what makes a compelling photo book, citing Carmen Winant's "My Birth" and Nobuyoshi Araki's "Winter Journey" as particularly impactful examples.
"Small Death" weaves together multiple visual narratives that reflect Sandoval's complex immigrant experience. The book features golden hour streetscapes, intimate nude self-portraits, abstract compositions, and tender images of her family members, including her parents, brother, husband Dylan, and even her cat. The work addresses themes of physical identity, particularly her experience as a larger-bodied woman, and the cultural displacement that comes with immigration.
Sandoval's relationship with photography began in childhood when her father purchased a camera specifically to document her life. "My dad is not a very vocal person with his love, but seeing him notice me through the camera made me feel loved," she recalled. This early association between photography and affection continues to influence her approach to image-making as a form of emotional expression.
The photographer's self-portraits evolved from solitary documentation of her early New York years to more experimental work after meeting her husband. "When I started photographing myself, I had just moved here alone. You can feel the camera very close to my face," she said. "I'm a heavier person and my body makes all of these shapes that I really enjoy, that other bodies maybe can't do. I feel like my art should be a little risky."
The book's release comes at a particularly relevant time, as immigrant communities face increased scrutiny and threats under current American political climate. Sandoval, who arrived before Trump's presidential campaign, witnessed the dramatic shift in anti-immigrant rhetoric firsthand. "I still remember when he made that speech on the escalator announcing Mexicans were rapists," she said, referencing the significant increase in ICE funding and deportation activities.
Despite the political challenges, Sandoval emphasizes the essential role immigrants play in American society. "The US depends so much on immigrants and on Mexicans – some of these people work so hard they barely sleep," she observed. Through her photography and platform, she advocates for seeing immigrants as full human beings rather than political abstractions.
"Small Death" represents more than just a personal artistic achievement; it serves as a broader commentary on contemporary immigrant experience in America. The book's intimate approach to documenting cultural transition offers readers a nuanced understanding of belonging, identity, and the complex emotions involved in creating a new life in a foreign country. Sandoval's decade-long photographic journey ultimately presents immigration not as a single transformative moment, but as an ongoing process of negotiating between past and present selves.
