Santiago Mesa

Documentary Photographer

Biography 

Santiago Mesa is a documentary photographer from Medellín, Colombia, whose work explores social issues, inequality, and violence.

Mesa studied journalism at EAFIT University in Medellín before pursuing a master's degree in visual arts at the National University of Colombia. He continued to refine his skills through a course in documentary photography at the University of Hannover, Germany.

Mesa has participated in several workshops including the Eddie Adams Workshop and the New York Portfolio Review. He has been recognized with several national and international awards such as the Sony World Photography Awards 2020.

Photo: Jaidë

The Emberá Dobida are a nomadic indigenous people of Colombia who historically have inhabited an area around the Bojayá River. Many Emberá have migrated to Bogotá, fleeing conflict among Colombia’s paramilitary forces and searching for safety and opportunity. In the capital, they face discrimination and marginalization, living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions. Suicides in the Emberá community have sharply increased, from 15 cases between 2015 and 2020 to 67 suicides and over 400 attempts by 2024, according to the Church of Bellavista in Bojayá. This project follows the lives of Emberá women impacted by the crisis, bringing attention and empathy to a harsh reality.