Photographer from Minas Gerais State Selected for Chicago exhibition
Note from BW of Brazil: I have to admit that I like stories like this. A young black man from the state of Minas Gerais found his niche in the world and is pursuing his dream. Seeing João Victor’s work as a photographer makes me wanna grab my Canon and get back in the game! I still have a love for photography particularly for the way that photos can say so much without one word be spoken or written. Of course, the Dollar/Real exchange rate being what it is (1 Brazilian Real = 26 American cents), João’s gonna need a little help from his friends, especially the ones he doesn’t even know, to make this happen. In the link at the bottom of the page is a full breakdown of the expenses for which he needs the funds. And if you’re in the US, think about this: At today’s exchange rate, contributing just USD$5 will put almost BRL$20 closer to his goal! If his work appeals to you, help a brotha out!
Photographer from state of Minas Gerais selected for Chicago exhibition and launches campaign to fund the trip
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A mineiro (native of Minas Gerais state) of the Santa Cândida neighborhood in Juiz de Fora, João Victor Medeiros has always been close to the themes pertinent to the periphery. At age 22, he started photography only four years ago, when he was a member of a Hip Hop collective in his hometown. He went on to photograph the culture in Juiz de Fora, always focusing on marginalized groups: blacks, LGBTs, residents of the periphery, etc.
Seeking to tell stories about these people in a way that portrays them with dignity, João Victor Medeiros learned about, through a workshop, the work of JR Ripper, a Carioca (native of Rio) photographer with the phrase: “I want people to wish those I photograph well” – and João soon learned that this was an excellent definition for his work.
“People are worthy, even in suffering or in the struggle. When I’m looking at someone, I want to be a link between the photographer and the person who sees the photo, use photography as a tool and be part of the change I want for myself and for the world,” says João Victor Medeiros.
In 2017, he began a photographic project on free fairs, a project that was selected to participate in the Chicago edition of “The Other Art Fair”, an international art fair focused on promoting emerging artists that are not yet part of the circuits of major museums and galleries.
To be present at this fair/exhibition, João Victor Medeiros needs to raise around 13 thousand reais, which will pay for documentation, tickets, high-quality printing and framing of his works, as well as the value of the exhibition stand, including design and lighting.
So he created an online funding campaign through the “Catarse” platform, but he does not want to rely solely on donations to achieve the dream of exhibiting in the United States. The artist has an open agenda with promotional prices for making photos and videos, is also selling his works and conducting a raffle and now seeks sponsorship from institutions and artists. The campaign is online until April 17 and was done in the “All-or-nothing” format, i.e.: he will only get the money if the campaign is successful, otherwise the value automatically returns to the supporters.
“Exhibiting at this fair is the biggest opportunity of my career so far. Curators of major museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) go to The Other Art Fair to seek out new artists, so it is a chance to be seen and enter the big galleries circuit. This would be a great start to a career in photography, enabling me to stabilize in the area and to achieve some long-term goals, such as a photography school and formation of the gaze in my community – so that more people from the periphery can tell their own stories.”
Help João realize his dream by collaborating with this link:
https://www.catarse.me/joaoemchicago
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