Barbara Neijna Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, b. 1937

Barbara Neijna’s photographs from Lerma depict the pollution of Mexico’s second largest river, the Lerma Santiago. The river was once a vital resource for the surrounding communities who used the water to fish and grow food. The pollution is caused from industrial complexes dumping waste and chemicals over many years. While Neijna’s photographs are from the late 1990s, it seems the conditions of the river have only gotten worse, and people in the surrounding towns suffer from respiratory or cancer related complications. In Untitled #16, the pipe for water sanitation for the town runs over the water below, surpassing what was used as a natural resource but now is no longer viable. The people walking on the bridge overhead and traffic driving by show that life continues to move on despite the complications with the natural environment.