She's photographed waste and waste disposal techniques in different countries for over three years
This Brazilian photography artist walks the talk. She's photographed waste and waste disposal techniques in different countries for over three years, she uses recycled bagasse paper and soya-based non-poisionous inks for her visiting cards and calendar, and she doesn't use air-conditioning in her cabs or her hotel room. So, in the sweltering heat of her room (five-star hotels do not have fans in rooms, we realise), Conceicao Praun talks about Faces, a black and white documentation of 50 photographs of waste around the world, a calendar for 2010.
PIC/ GAURAV KADAM
ADVERTISEMENT
Making a mess
Ignorance abounds when it comes to taking care of our environment. People don't want to keep car windows open because of the pollution and grime. We are developing newer methods of waste disposal, but I'm not sure whether they work in long term because we are not doing anything to stop generating that waste. We can't just keep taking from Mother Earth without giving something in return.
It defeats my purpose to spread this message if the medium of that message requires me to cut down few more trees. I don't want to show the beauty in waste. I want to draw attention to the issues that surround us. And that nothing will be achieved till we keep discriminating between my water and yours, my area and yours and my people and yours.
u00a0
No rubbish
Many Indians ask me why foreigners like me prefer to take pictures only of India's poverty and slums instead of looking at all of India's beautiful temples, women and mountains. Yes, the Himalayas are beautiful, but ecological damage is causing them to melt.
We can't just keep looking at beauty and forget that waste exists. In my experience of photographing waste, I've realised that people often believe that they can just build lovely gardens to cover up smelly canals. But it won't make the canal disappear. The waste will still be lying there, contaminating everything else.
Slumdog city
My first impression when I came to this city was the huge expanse of sea, the lack of green spaces and the lack of dustbins. Then when I started working, taking pictures, I slowly understood the vast contradictions in this city.
There are all these doctors and academics with awards in their cabinets who understand the problem and are trying to find solutions, and then there are these illiterate ragpickers and sweepers who actually clean the mess, but don't even realise what toxic conditions they live in.
A waste of time
I've never worked to impress others. In Paris, I practised studio photography and it was all very glamourous. But I realised that my heart wasn't in it, that the results of my work weren't enough.
And although I practise analog photography, which is also environmentally hazardous and for that I'm very apologetic, I feel my work is important, that it can transform the world.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
