— Lens Culture review.
PHOTOGRAPHY
"Marcelo aims to create street / travel photography in a unique, artistic, and theatrical way.
In most of his photos, there is an important relationship between the subject matter and its environment.
The images can be seen as photographic designs where geometry, angles, and leading lines play a large role in the compositions.
Most of the subjects are isolated in the frame as if they have been singled out from the crowd or the greater environment to give a private performance for both the photographer and the viewer.
The viewer is prompted to wonder where these places are and who these people are."
Exhibitions
AMAZONAS ADENTRO
Amazonas Adentro is a photographic series created by Marcelo, based on a commissioned work for the production of a documentary about the importance of environmental preservation and conscious economic development in the Baixo Seruini region.
Also known as Medio Purus, this location in the state of Amazonas is far from the Amazonian tourist routes. It is an area where indigenous communities and Extractive Reserves share a vast and unexplored territory that is still very wild.
Amazonas Adentro shows a part of the reality of the people who inhabit the banks of the Igarapés in the interior of the State of Amazonas, on the border with Acre.
The exhibition started in 2022 and is still ongoing in two different places in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
KUNNINGAN
Hinduism does not have a unified belief system encoded in a declaration of faith. Their beliefs are vast and diverse, and thus Hinduism is often referred to as a family of religions rather than a single religion. Meaning there are different theologies, practices, and sacred texts.
The Balinese believe their ancestors visit the Earth during the Galungan period - their New Year’s celebration. Kuningan is the last day of Galungan, when their ancestors return to heaven, celebrated in a ceremony with sacrifice, dance, and devotion.
The ceremony captured in video and photos was explained by a local Indonesian called Agus. He said it portrays the search of Shiva, represented by Barong, on his quest to find Durga, represented by Rangda.
Shiva asks Vishnu to go to Earth for this search. Vishnu goes to Earth in the form of four dancers performing the Tari Telek. Joining Vishnu comes Brahma in the form of Jauk Keras and Jauk Penamprat.
Upon their unsuccessful journey, Shiva goes to Earth as Barong, meeting Durga, in the form of Rangda. They fight - performing the Rangda Dance - and many negative spirits get released from this. Some go back to heaven, and others keep wandering the Earth.
Because of that, the Balinese people of Nusa Ceningan pray for the world’s safety throughout the year.
