josef chladek

on photobooks and books

Felipe Abreu - aprox. 50.300.000, Vibrant, 2017, São Paulo

Hardcover, spiral bound, edition of 300 copies, signed. Design by Martina Brant, text by Ana Luisa Lima and Felipe Abreu.

„We are experiencing a series of profound geopolitical changes in the last few years. The migratory movements have been intensely transforming the life in Europe, the Middle East and, thanks to recently elect president Trump, in the USA as well. This was one of the great topics of journalistic discussion since the growth of ISIS. There is an immense amount of stories, discourses and images presenting these journeys e the political consequences of this immense migratory movement towards Europe.
With all this in mind, I searched for a way to discuss the photojournalistic coverture of this human movement, its tensions, violence and probable solutions. The way that best fitted my goals was to analyze edit and ressignify a selection of images found under the search “migrant crisis” on Google. aprox. 50.300.000 – reference to the number of hits related do the search on my first Google search on the topic – wishes to create a new meaning to this collection of images, creating a visual narrative that deals with this immense and important movement. The images in the series search for the primordial gestures in each moment presented. There is a constant wish to protect the identity of those who face this complex journey and to bring forward the face of those that can change this situation, such as, the government, mass media and police.
Considering the post-photographic logic, aprox. 50.300.000 abandons the click by the author-photographer and focuses on the creation of new meanings – both visual and narrative – to a specific photographic universe. In this way, the appropriation and remix of each image is one the central acts in this creative process, inviting the viewer to reflect not only on the theme that encompasses this pictures, but, as well, on the way we register the other, his pain and his journey.“

Order at Felipe's site.

Pages: 84
Place: São Paulo
Year: 2017
Publisher: Vibrant
Size: 19 x 24 cm (approx.)