ROGÉRIO VIEIRA | We are all targets here

ROGÉRIO VIEIRA | We are all targets here
Somos todos alvos aqui

“Somos todos alvos aqui”* (We are all targets here) is a crude and candid portrait project that comes with the goal of fanning the debate about police violence experienced by people from city outskirts and favelas throughout Brazil – people who, for the most part, are black-skinned. Daily tools and accessories are used as a metaphor and refer to the deaths of persons killed by police officers who mistook a tool for a firearm.

On Monday, September 17th, 2018, Rodrigo Alexandre da Silva Serrano was shot by police who allegedly mistook his umbrella for a rifle. What color was Rodrigo’s skin? I chose to photograph with a medium-format camera, and, on average, five to six poses were used for each character. All subjects depicted in this essay are from the city I live in, São Paulo.
*The title of the essay is the chorus of rap “Estereótipo,” by MC Rashid.

ABOUT ROGÉRIO VIEIRA

Rogério Vieira started his career in photography in 2007, recording the streets of São Paulo with his analog camera. In 2008, participated in the collective show celebrating Festival Dulôco’s 10th anniversary, promoted by Sesc, with performances by rap and hip-hop artists. The following years were dedicated entirely to photography, working at social and corporate events. Admitted to Universidade Paulista (Unip) photography course in 2011, when he got in touch with new photographic concepts.

From there, Vieira’s professional career went in other directions, expanding the development of authorial projects. His primary focus became the production of portraits aligned to street influences, such as the use of natural and flash artificial lighting, key components in building his photographs.
Rogério Vieira received national and international awards and nominations throughout his career, and his work was featured in high-profile festivals, both in Europe and Latin America.

Read the full article in Lens Magazine Issue #83