Alberto Herrera Fernández Photograph Collection Unveiled

For Blanca Cummins, becoming a Tower Fellow meant an opportunity to undertake a personal project to preserve her father's legacy. Utilizing the resources available at UT Austin, Cummins has been working on digitizing a collection of over 60,000 photographic slides, prints, and negatives captured by her father, renowned Mexican photographer Alberto Herrera Fernández. Cummins' work was launched to the public in a ceremony on April 29th at the Benson Latin American Collection.

The dedication of the Alberto Herrera Fernández Photograph Collection was a celebration of Herrera Fernández's impactful work documenting life and culture in Sonora, Mexico. Leveraging the knowledge and skills acquired during her time as a Tower Fellow, Cummins ensured the preservation and accessibility of her father's archive for future generations.

The collection, which offers a unique window into the beauty of the Sonoran Desert and the lives of the people who live there, stands as a testament to Herrera Fernández's keen eye. Through her participation in the Tower Fellow program and her efforts to digitize and catalog her father's work, Cummins has shone light on a unique and personal perspective of Mexican photography through her father's collection. The Tower Fellow program is proud to have played a supporting role in the establishment of the Alberto Herrera Fernández Photograph Collection and they look forward to following Cummins' journey going forward.

Read about about the Alberto Herrera Fernández Photograph Collection now available for viewing at the Benson Latin American Collection. Also, learn about Blanca Cummins here.