The Veracruz-based women’s collective, El Colectivo Solecito de Veracruz, operates under the motto “¡Solamente ten fe!” (Only have faith!). The group is dedicated to uncovering one of the largest mass graves discovered in Latin America in recent years. Its members search for victims of the Mexican drug war and the systemic violence dominating the state of Veracruz—their own missing loved ones.

Photographer Adél Koleszár worked with the collective for over a year between 2017 and 2018, documenting the mothers and their surroundings through photography, interviews, and field recordings. Her series, Only Have Faith explores the violence that has plagued Mexico over the past two decades, contextualizing it within the broader role of photography in representing and perpetuating terror. The project’s current relevance is marked by the publication of the photobook of the same title, released by APE in September 2025.

The so-called war on drugs, initiated in 2008 and funded by the U.S., destabilized communities to control resources, migration, and territories, leaving the population vulnerable.

The series tells the story of the mothers of Colectivo Solecito de Veracruz, who have been searching, and continue to search, for their disappeared loved ones in the Colinas de Santa Fe mass grave. Their perseverance embodies both resistance and mourning, revealing the human dimension of systemic violence. Adél accompanied the collective for more than a year, capturing the process of the search, the participants, and their environment.

The project was previously exhibited at Liget Gallery in 2024 as an experimental, experience-focused presentation of the archive. In that setting, the visual material, complemented by Esteban De La Torre’s sound installation, appeared as raw, installative documentation. Esteban utilized Adél’s field recordings for the composition, adding a sensory layer to the historical document. While the gallery space aimed to showcase the archive, the book is a consciously constructed, ethical narrative: through the subtle alignment of image use and textual layers, it organizes personal and collective trauma into a coherent structure.

Mainstream media has often sensationalized violence for profit, turning photojournalism into a competitive industry and commodifying tragedy. Adél’s work stands apart by focusing on landscapes, resilient individuals, and a stylistic evolution. She juxtaposes neglected infrastructure with nature’s bounty, capturing the human cost through testimonies rather than graphic imagery.

Adél’s immersion in Mexico’s culture transformed her approach, allowing her to delve deeply into the complexities of violence and reshape her perspective. Created in Veracruz, her project serves as a poignant reflection on the far-reaching effects of systemic exploitation under capitalism.

The exhibition and the accompanying talk are occasioned by the recent publication of the photobook. Adél Koleszár will be in conversation with Zsuzsanna Koós (Head of Communications at aqb and English language editor of the book) and Esteban de la Torre (Hungarian-Mexican musician, media, and sound artist, co-founder of EJTECH Studio). They will discuss the birth of the project and the book, the relationship between image and text, and the ethical questions of documentary photography.
Event

In the exhibition, the photographic series is complemented by a soundscape created by Esteban De La Torre. Utilizing Adél’s field recordings, the installation draws on Esteban’s deep familiarity with the Veracruz region since childhood.

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Text: Adél Koleszár and Zsuzsanna Koós
Graphics: János Borsos
Special thanks to Adél Kovács and Kató Somos for their indispensable help, and to Lilla Lőrinc for her support.

The exhibition is on view in the aqb Foyer until March 12, 2026. Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 4 PM – 7 PM.