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. Untitled #1 shows a serene image of still water with a deceased cow lying in the muck. Trash, debris, and an unnatural looking dark foam surround the barely discernible cow. What once gave life, now brings death.