Joe Hart's 'Aspirantes' Photographs Mexico's Lucha Libre Wrestlers Up Close

London-based photographer Joe Hart spent nearly a month in Mexico City and the Oaxaca region to create 'Aspirantes,' a photography project that intimately documents the world of lucha libre. Inspired by a poster in Oaxaca calling for 'aspirantes' (hopefuls) to qualify as luchadores, Hart embedded himself in independent wrestling shows, capturing the high-flying theatrics and the personhood of the wrestlers. He shot on a medium format Fuji rangefinder with powerful flashes, often two due to overheating, to freeze split-second action and create hyperreal, saturated images that resemble comic book frames. Hart emphasizes that the masks are not costumes but identities, often passed down through generations or to protégés, allowing characters to outlive their creators. He notes that in certain matches, losing a mask permanently can kill off a character. The project involved trawling Facebook groups, sending messages in broken Spanish, and taking taxis to rough venues like car parks and community halls. Hart aimed to portray the wrestlers as amazing rather than merely amusing, and he accepted the risk of being hit by flying moves while shooting ringside. The series is titled 'Aspirantes' and is copyright Joe Hart, 2026. The work was featured on It's Nice That, with a byline by Paul M, a Junior Writer at the publication since May 2025.