Tuesday 14 August 2012

No Olho da Rua 13/08/2012




Photo Albums

We've known Biui since 1995. In recent years he's been a bit crazy and scary. He's big and fast and very strong, in much better physical shape than most of the street kids of his age. He's always been around but hasn't wanted to make pictures for years and he hasn't wanted to be photographed either. But today he told us he had photos he wanted to show us and out of an old rucksack came two albums. They contain photographs spanning the entire project, from 1995 till last year, flyposters, newspapers, everything is there. We were astonished. It's so difficult for them to look after things. For these pictures to survive for so long, on the streets, is incredible.

He talked about a photo he doesn't have but which he clearly remembers. It's of him and Edna, his lover and the mother of his kids, who died of Aids a few years ago. They are kissing on a bus, on their way to the party we organised for the launch of the flyposter exhibition in 1997. We have to go back and look for this picture, try to find it for him.

He also asked us if he could have a camera to make some new pictures.

Licaõ's lost camera

We found Licaõ on Sunday. He has left Patricia, his lover of many years, at least for the time being. He says he needs a break. He is taking a lot of crack. Elisangela is with him, not in her house, but on the street. We gave him a camera but when when we went to collect it yesterday he explained he had finished the film but had a row with his crack dealer who threw the camera over a steep bank into some bushes. We went off to look for it. Seemed like an impossible task and it was quite a funny situation - we were like kids who'd lost their ball. Amazingly, after 10 minutes or so, there it was, Licaõ spied it nestling in the rubbish and scrub....be interesting to see the pictures...

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