The ‘other Brazil’ | Portrait Photography

Photographer Antonio Mozeto is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. To see Antonio’s body of work, click on any image.

Portraits of a Profound Brazil

I have no doubt that there is a dreamer in us. One who sees the world with ‘other eyes’. Who feels the world with ‘another soul’.

I have no doubt, too, that it exists within a country, a region or a city, ‘other countries or, other regions or cities’. Within each of us there are ‘others of ourselves’. And, these ‘one of ourselves’ perceives this country, region or city differently. Many factors lead to this. But, I believe that in my case, my life story – where I was born and lived my childhood and adolescence, and the education I had – made me ‘someone’ who brings this dreamer inside, who sees and feels the world with ‘other eyes’ and with ‘another soul’.

I always felt that there was an ‘other Brazil’. This ‘other Brazil’ is inserted geographically speaking exactly within the same limits as ‘official Brazil’, but ‘he’ is different in everything. In this “Profound Brazil” what you find, are simple people, but very rich in soul. Rich for giving themselves to the maximum and in an extremely spontaneous way, truly. They donate, also, in the intense dialogues and open smiles, ‘those with an open shirt to the chest in the wind’. Sincere and authentic.

Train between Vitoria, ES and Belo Horizonte,MG

I have the feeling that these people and their peculiar way of life, for whom time seems not to have passed – or to have passed much more slowly – are invisible to the great majority of the populations and to the great media of the big and medium cities of this country.

All this wealth of these people who are remote, isolated, body and soul (and by personal choice), from the big cities and their customs and (many) mass vices, are their main virtues. In the scale of values of these people, it is not only perceived in these characteristics, but it is also expressed by the value given to time; in the meaning and use of time. The days last the same 24 hours as always and from anywhere in the world. However, in this ‘other Brazil’, I feel them longer, unhurried. Talking, looking, are intense, warm, welcoming, uncompromising, gentle, permeated by intervals of silence that carry many meanings. And this one is ‘another Brazil’ that I’ve always found, I felt it existed. I never doubted it. And, I find it in my photograph.

In this “profound and intense Brazil” that I feel, or that presents itself to me like that, there are also landscapes and scenes of everyday life, in rural areas or small urban agglomerations that, in a lot – and, especially, for me – they look like these people. They are landscapes and calm scenes, which seem to invite me to reflect on my mission here on Earth and to submerge myself in them through the lens of my cameras in a great attempt to reveal their secrets.

In the “Profound Brazil” that I see, that I feel in my photography, the encounters and dialogues, the sensations, the images, the visions of the world may escape through the fingers of less aware or unnoticed passers-by, but they overflow, they spill over into my eyes.