As a French photographer based in Michoacán, certainly the most notorious state of Mexico for its stories of violence, corruption and drug cartels, I have been recording the richness of the indigenous Purépecha culture. I wish to be able to share with the world the depth of beauty and the cultural richness that sustain life here - far deeper and profound than the negative headlines that too quickly shape our understanding of Mexico. Behind a confusing strife is a profoundly beautiful and colorful social activity that continues on as it has for centuries. Thousands of villages here celebrate life through their Pre-Hispanic rituals filtered through and combined with catholic traditions. This syncretism has given a mystical and extraordinary character to most of the ceremonies, and it is that "magic-realism" that I hope to convey.