Javier Silva Meinel started working as a photographer in 1973. He was one of the founding members of Secuencia Fotogaleria and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1990 for his work about Andean ritual practices featured in El Libro de los Encantados (1993). He published the book, Acho, altar de arena (1993), about the bullfighting backstage of Lima followed by a third book which includes the images from the Qollor-Ritti pilgrimage in the Cuzco highlands. His work has sought to parallel in images the mysterious beliefs of the Andean peoples. He has had solo shows in New York and Europe, Secuencia Fotogaleria in Lima, Centro Cultural de la Municipalidad de Mira flores, as well as group shows all over the world.  Mr. Silva lives and works as a photographer in Lima.