Dulce Ariadna Rodríguez Ardila

October 30, 2026

The title of this photograph is Gallada (1975)[1], from the series Los Gamines. In Colombia, gamín[2] is the term used for people who live on the streets and are considered “rude” or “ill-mannered.” The word gallada[3] refers to a group of people who share a bond, whether of friendship or loyalty, and who also come together to commit crimes or engage in behavior far removed from “good conduct.”

We see four boys. The youngest, perhaps around six years old, poses with his hands curled like a monster’s claws while holding a piece of bread in his left hand and between his teeth. His eyes are wide open, and he even bares his teeth playfully, imitating a fierce grimace. Next to him is a slightly older boy who, standing on tiptoe and laughing, thrusts his pelvis forcefully in a crude, playful display for the photographer, grinning mischievously. The next boy, the tallest and probably the oldest, about thirteen at the time, poses confidently with a smiling but restrained expression. He holds on to his two companions, arms around them, as he looks directly at the camera. The last boy poses with one leg raised, moving his body like a singer on stage; his face also conveys playfulness and liveliness, with a confident smile. The composition the boys created so naturally is pure mischief, play, and rowdiness, but it is also clear evidence of how close they are to one another. They are most likely companions in both play and survival.

The image was taken with a telephoto lens, which allowed the photographer to keep her distance and not make the children uncomfortable. Clearly, there would only be one chance to capture it. The photograph was taken “on the corner of Carrera Octava and Calle 22 in downtown Bogotá,” and was first published as a two-page spread in the September 3–9, 1975 issue of Cromos magazine, accompanying an article by Jaime Escobar titled “Los Pacos de la vida real.”[4] This publication was her ticket in as a photojournalist for Cromos.

Viki Ospina has recounted on several occasions that one day she went to the office of Eduardo Klenk, head of photography at Cromos. She was looking for work as a photojournalist, and he, sounding tired of listening to her, told her: “Women are not photographers. This is a man’s field.” He even pointed to a hallway where five or six men stood, all of them photographers for the magazine. When she insisted, he told her to go out into the street and shoot a roll of gamines. That roll was her way into the magazine, and on it Viki captured Gallada.[5]

Downtown Bogotá is a complex place. Since the city’s founding, it has housed government buildings that represent the nation, but over the years it has also become a place where homeless people have gathered. Ospina’s gaze is neither static nor invasive. Her images do not intimidate the people she photographs. Viki Ospina’s photographs are taken as series, in a continuum. They have a narrative quality that builds the story and the path traveled by both the photographer and her subjects. This series is not the only example of this; if you are interested in learning more about the artist, the MAMU website has extensive information on her.

Notes

[1] Dimensions: height/length: 78.0 cm; width/diameter: 96.0 cm.

[2] Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Diccionario de americanismos, s.v. “gamín,” accessed April 20, 2026, https://www.asale.org/damer/gam%C3%ADn

[3] Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española, Diccionario de americanismos, s.v. “gallada,” accessed April 20, 2026, https://www.asale.org/damer/gallada

[4] Carolina Cerón and José Ruiz, Viki Ospina 1970–1990 (Bogotá: Universidad de los Andes, 2018).

[5] Banrepcultural, “Viki Ospina: crónicas visuales de la transformación social en Colombia (1970-1990),” MAMU interview with Viki Ospina, YouTube video, posted May 24, 2024, https://youtu.be/heEtSka7ODo?si=7T-GyiCzuNPWImWf

Bibliography 

Cerón, Carolina, and José Ruiz. Viki Ospina 1970–1990. Bogotá: Universidad de los Andes, 2018.

Universidad de los Andes. “Viki Ospina: retrospectiva de su vida en imágenes”. Accessed April 1, 2024. https://www.uniandes.edu.co/es/viki-ospina-retrospectiva-de-su-vida-en-imagenes.