2010/10/30

Waste Land Almega Projects



Filmed over nearly three years,
'WASTE LAND' follows renowned artist Vik Muniz
as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn
to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump,
Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.
There he photographs an eclectic band of
"catadores" - or self-designated pickers of recyclable materials.
Muniz's initial objective was to "paint"
the catadores with garbage.
However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters
as they recreate photographic images of themselves
out of garbage reveals both dignity and despair
as the catadores begin to re-imagine their lives.
Walker ('DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND', 'BLINDSIGHT')
has great access to the entire process and, in the end,
offers stirring evidence of the transformative
power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit.

Stream or download it here