Noé Montes was born in Modesto, CA in 1973. He grew up in a family of migrant farm workers who travelled throughout California’s Central Valley following harvests. At the age of 21 he found the medium of photography, “I found that photography is the best way for me to understand the world and to express my ideas about it”. Over the last 25 years, Noé has developed a socially engaged practice in which he creates documentary work around a specific social issue or geographic location. He then uses that work as a tool for community and civic engagement through programming with local partners. He also works to integrate the stories of the communities he documents into the American historical narrative. His list of commissions includes work for The Annenberg Foundation, The California Community Foundation, The Palm Springs Art Museum and The Getty Foundation. He is a fellow at the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities and often lectures at colleges and universities about his practice. Noe has exhibited work in galleries and museums nationally, he lives in Los Angeles with his family and works throughout the state of California.