The photographic archive of Roberto and Fernando Luna is a singular collection that reflects a close collaboration between father and son, dedicated exclusively to documenting the work of Mexican architect Francisco Artigas (1916–1999). Architect Fernando Luna (1935–2018) worked in Artigas’s studio for over 45 years and, together with his father Roberto Luna, meticulously photographed each of the completed projects. Roberto, a commercial photographer with a studio on Avenida Reforma, was the man behind the camera, while Fernando orchestrated the intricate mise-en-scènes that captured a vision of modern life.
The photographs by Roberto and Fernando Luna gained particular recognition through their inclusion in the large-format book published by Artigas in 1972—a near-cinematic portrayal of Mexican modernism. In these Technicolor-finished images, architecture becomes a theatrical backdrop for luxury automobiles, exotic animals (both living and taxidermied), and staged scenes of domestic life. The careful composition of living rooms, dining spaces, offices, and dressing rooms—along with the frequent portrayal of women as ornamental figures within the frame—offers a striking image of Mexico’s upper class: glamorous, aspirationally cosmopolitan, yet ultimately conservative in spirit.
The archive of Roberto and Fernando Luna is currently preserved in the home of Alicia Rodríguez B. de Luna, widow of Fernando Luna. We are sincerely grateful to the Luna family for their generous collaboration in making this material accessible, and for sharing the stories and family memories that bring the archive to life.
Series 01 – Libro Francisco Artigas
Series 02 – Fotografías firmadas
Launch of the Roberto and Fernando Luna Archive
Regionalism Revisited: The Case of Francisco Artigas, A fresh look at a forgotten Mexican modernist. (Places Journal, Keith Eggener, January 2015).
Fernando Luna: la arquitectura como imagen. (Arquine, Selene Patlan, Abril, 2018).
Casas, Ranchos and Haciendas: The architecture of Francisco Artigas. (Maharam, Travis Boyer).
Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico 1915-1985. (Exposición en el LACMA de Los Ángeles, Estados Unidos. Septiembre 17, 2017 – Abril 1, 2018).
