Lucha Loco: The Free Wrestlers of Mexico

MalcolmVenville’sraredeluxeMexicanwrestlingvolume,nowavailableinanaccessible,popularformat.LuchaLibre,or"freewrestling,"isaculturalphenomenon—renownednotonlyforthewrestler’shigh-flyingmoves,butalsoforthemythologyoftheirpersonas.Thesemaskedfigures(aritualdatingbacktoAztecculture)treattheirmasks—andtheidentitiestheyembody—assacred.ElSanto,thefirstluchadorpopstar,rarelytookoffhismaskeveninretirement,andwaseventuallyburiedinit.Itissuchasignificantpartofthesport(andtheperformance)thattheremovalofanopponent’smaskintheringisgroundsfordisqualification.MalcolmVenvillefellinlovewiththesportaftercatchingashowinMexicoandspentseveralweeksphotographingandinterviewingwrestlersoutsidetheringinasmallportraitstudio.Alongsideeachportraitisthewrestler’sfightingnameandasignaturequotefromtheseinterviews.Amongthesubjectsareanaccountantandadoctorbyday—butSuperPinocchioandAstroBoybynight.Theyoffersuchgemsas:"Americanwrestlingismoreaboutthelighting,""MycharacteristhefastestinMexico,butnotwhenI’mmakinglove,"and"Icombinewrestlingwithstrippingbutwrestling’smypassion."Theresultisanevenmorehilariousandcolorfullookatthisalreadyentertainingspectacle—partsport,partsoapopera—aswellasawindowintothelifeofaluchador,aworldnormallyshroudedinmystery.