Photographer Pieter Henket has created a new portrait series titled "Birds of Mexico City," featuring vibrant, theatrical images of Mexican individuals who are redefining gender norms. The series includes subjects such as gymnasts in kitten heels and lovers stalked by a devil, with Henket describing the experience as akin to being in "a museum where the art comes alive." The photographs were published in The Guardian on June 16, 2026.
This series matters because it uses the visual language of portraiture to highlight and celebrate gender diversity in contemporary Mexico, challenging traditional binaries through a fantastical, artistic lens. By presenting these subjects in a highly stylized, almost surreal manner, Henket elevates their personal expressions of identity into a broader cultural conversation about freedom and self-definition, making a significant statement in the ongoing discourse around gender and representation in the art world.