Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Adriana began taking photographs at an early age with a still camera. Following the family tradition and steps of her father, the award-winning Director of Photography Roberto Mateo she began working in long feature films and advertising.
Both her passion for photography and music, particularly Jazz genre, led her by 1990 to move to New York City where she completed her degree in Film at New York University, Film School (Tisch) . In 1996 she continued her studies in Lighting with Directors of Photography Andrew Laszlo and Rob Draper (ACS) at the International Feature Film & Television Workshops in Maine. Her full focus towards Jazz Photography developed after meeting NEA Jazz Master Cedar Walton with whom she began working closely and with whom she remained as his personal photographer until his passing in 2013. During that period time she was introduced to work with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath ( 1926-2020), Frank Wess ( 1922-2013) and NEA Jazz Master Sonny Rollins.
Between the years of 1990 - 2010 Adriana had already photographed three generations of renowned Jazz American Musicians many of whom had passed recently including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Randy Weston, Frank Wess, Jimmy Cobb, Wayne Shorter, Lee Konitz, Mulgrew Miller, Ellis Marsalis, Bobby Hutcherson, Wallace Rooney, Marcus Belgrave, Roy Hargrove, Lew Sollof, Dwayne Burno, Harold Mabern. Among contemporary Jazz musicians she is and had closely work with Ron Carter, Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson, Paquito D’Rivera, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Christian Mc Bride, Benny Green, Jonathan Batiste, Brian Blade, Esperanza Spalding, Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Terence Blanchard, Renee Rosnes along current NYC fourth generation of upcoming musicians.
Her first book accompanied by a solo exhibit AM JAZZ “Three Generations Under The Lens," was released and published in Padova, Italy in 2016 and in the United States by 2017. Her second book , “L’ Immagine del Suono”, is a collaboration of selected best thirty six Jazz Photographers from around the world and was curated and published by the Deputy Mayor for Culture, Turismo and University at the Museo Cívico Palazzo della Penna, Perugia, Italy
She had been awarded for Best Photographer of the Year 2019 by the Jazz Journalist Association ,last photograph taken of Roy Hargrove ( October 16, 1966-November 2, 2018) performing at Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia Italy 2018. This same photograph was as well the finalist for best photo at Jazz World Photo, Prague , Czech Republic. Her images are currently part of the collection of the Museo Palazzo della Penna, Perugia, Italy; At the Comune di Padova, Padova, Italy and throughout traveling exhibitions in Europe and South America . She is the first Jazz American contemporary Jazz photographer whose work is part of a Museum Collection .
In 2024 Adriana “The Lifetime Achievement Award In Jazz Photography” , highest award in Jazz Photography by the Jazz Journalist Association, USA.
Adriana resides in NYC and is currently working as a free lance Jazz photographer, jazz documentarist, educator and lecturer in Universities and Museums.
EXHIBITIONS:
2015 - PALAZZO MORONI, COMUNE DI PADOVA , PADOVA, ITALY "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" book release and exhibition.
2016 - THE JAZZ GALLERY, NEW YORK , USA "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" book release and exhibition.
2016 - NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL, AM JAZZ “Three Generations Under The Lens" book presentation.
2017 - WBGO Jazz Public Radio from the Jazz Capital of the World, New York City "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" exhibition.
2017 - MUSEUM PALAZZO DELLA PENNA, PERUGIA, ITALY "L'Immagine del Suono” exhibition.2017 - MUSEUM PALAZZO DELLA PENNA, PERUGIA, ITALY "L'Immagine del Suono” exhibition.
2018 - MUSEO di PALAZZO della PENNA, PERUGIA UMBRIA, ITALY solo exhibition.
2018 - BAYERISCHEN-HOF HOTEL, Munich, Germany solo exhibition.
2019 - FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE JAZZ DE PUNTA DEL ESTE, URUGUAY exhibition & book presentation in South America
2023- SOLO EXHIBITION OF ROY HARGROVE “Una Mirada” BEBOP JAZZ CLUB , BUENOS AIRES , ARGENTINA
2024- SOLO EXHIBIT “NEW YORK JAZZ GENERATIONS” , ESPACIO HUSSEK ART GALLERY , BUENOS AIRES , ARGENTINA.
AWARDS:
2019 -BEST PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR JAZZ JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION award best Photographer and Photo of the year
2019 -FINALIST WORLD JAZZ PHOTO, PRAGUE, CHECK REPUBLIC award & exhibit
2024- LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN JAZZ PHOTOGRAPHY , JAZZ JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION, USA.
BOOKS:
2016- AM JAZZ “Three Generations Under The Lens”
2017- L’ Immagine del Suono
FIRST EXHIBITION OF A PRIVATE COLLECTION OF ROY HARGROVE ( 1966-2018) , BEBOP CLUB, BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA
