The 2026 Leica Picture of the Year was taken by the renowned Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, who was inducted into the Leica Hall of Fame this year.

Iturbide’s work is deeply rooted in Latin American culture. What makes her images so unique is the interplay between documentary and spiritual representation, which is often enigmatic. The chosen Leica Picture of the Year, with its complexity and visual composition, is also a prime example of the photographer’s distinctive visual language. At the centre of the photograph “Na’ Lupe Pan” is a woman portrayed against a wall covered in bold, abstract patterns. Taken in 1986, the photograph forms part of an important series developed over a long period, exploring matriarchal structures and the everyday lives of strong indigenous women in the town of Juchitán in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. This striking black-and-white image’s power comes from the contrast between the serene portrait of the woman in a dignified pose and the dynamic background of the wall against the hustle and bustle of everyday life.